One-sentence summary: Despite massive Western investment, Palestinian Authority security forces often shield terrorists who murdered Israelis instead of bringing them to justice.
For years, tens of millions of US and European dollars have been poured into training the Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces, with the declared goal of combating terrorism. In practice, however, these forces have repeatedly provided what is known as “protective custody” to terrorists who murdered Israelis — a fictitious arrest designed to prevent them from being captured by Israeli forces.
The case of Abd al-Raouf Shtayyeh illustrates this pattern clearly. After murdering two IDF soldiers, Shtayyeh turned himself in to the Palestinian Authority. He was held for a short period and then released. Only later was he eliminated by Israeli security forces. At no point did the PA prosecute him for the murders.
This case is not an exception. The Palestinian Authority has never put a terrorist on trial for murdering Israelis and has never extradited a killer to Israel. Rather than fighting terrorism, it systematically protects those responsible for it.
