In a clear example of how Northern Samaria is spiraling out of control on the Palestinian Authority's watch, as PA forces were arresting terrorists, armed, terrorist-sympathizing residents turned on them.
In the city of Nablus (biblical Shechem) the Palestinian security forces entered the city to arrest Musab Ashtea, a well-known Hamas operative in the city who is considered a close friend of fellow terrorist Ibrahim al-Nabulsi, the terrorist killed in the city last month. Ashtea was arrested alongside two other wanted terrorists. Violence in Nablus broke out between the security forces and some armed factions, during which roads were blocked and shots were fired.
During the Palestinian on Palestinian clashes, one person was killed and several were injured. The factions in Nablus declared a general strike and called for the immediate release of Ashtea’s wives while warning the authority not to hand him over to Israeli hands. A spokesman for Hamas said that Ashtea belonged to the Az ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military arm of Hamas, and called his arrest "a free service for the Zionist occupation and the completion of his work."
Clashes in Nablus between security forces of the Palestinian Authority and local terrorists following the earlier arrest of 2 terrorists from Hamas al-aqsa Martyrs Brigades.
— Erez Neumark 🇮🇱🇧🇪 (@ErezNeumark) September 20, 2022
1 Palestinian civilian was killed. pic.twitter.com/N9PxMZR3xk
According to Palestinian reports, Ahstea was with Al-Nabulsi when he carried out the shooting attack on worshipers at Joseph's Tomb, where the Israeli Samarian Brigade commander was wounded. Ashtea’s arrest took place amid the pressure exerted by Israel on the Palestinian Authority to take control of the terrorist nests in Nablus and Jenin, from which many attacks have been planned and from where they were carried out.
Prime Minister Yair Lapid threatened the PA last week in the aftermath of the killing of Israeli officer, Major Bar Falah. "Wherever the PA does not maintain order, we will not hesitate to act. The IDF and the Shin Bet are prepared for any scenario to prevent terrorism from raising its head. They are prepared in all sectors, along with the police on the borderline. Israel will severely harm anyone who tries to harm it ".
Unrest in Nablus as militant groups protest the arrest of two militants by the Palestinian Authority. pic.twitter.com/nXjUmzQsNu
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) September 19, 2022
Shin Bet head Ronan Bar also addressed the issue this month and said that "violence in Judea and Samaria is increasing and we have entered a vicious cycle of violence. Our people are forced to go into arrests and difficulties every night - and the price is also Palestinian casualties and a further decline in the status of the mechanisms. It's an expression of the lack of governance in the PA-controlled areas."
PNA's loss of control in northern Samaria is manifested in extensive clashes in Nablus between it’s forces & militantsof terrorist groups #Hamas & #PIJ since the arrest of the terrorist Musab Ashtiyeh of Hamas last night. Hamas is threatening #PNA not to extradite him to Israel. pic.twitter.com/8ze6fn7kLe
— Shmuel Shalom שמואל سمؤال عبد السلام (@ShmuelShalom) September 20, 2022
The Chief of Staff, Major General Aviv Kochavi, commented at the beginning of this month on the lack of Palestinian governance: "Part of the increase in terrorism stems from the exhaustion of the Palestinian security mechanisms, which leads to a lack of governance in certain areas of the West Bank, and these constitute fertile ground for the growth of terrorism."
