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Are the Palestinians Capable of Governing Themselves?
(Fox News) Matthew Brodsky - When presidential adviser Jared Kushner was asked whether Palestinians are capable of governing themselves, he responded: "The hope is that over time they can become capable of governing." Kushner was right to express skepticism about the problem-plagued government operated by the Palestinian Authority. According to the latest poll by Palestinian pollster Khalil Shikaki, 82% of Palestinians believe the PA is corrupt, and 60% want PA President Mahmoud Abbas to resign. Abbas is currently serving in the 15th year of a four-year-term. All this shows that good governance and institution-building have proven elusive to the Palestinian leadership. A December 2018 study released by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace found that Palestinian leaders and institutions "do little policymaking, pursue no coherent ideology, express no compelling moral vision, are subject to no oversight, and inspire no collective enthusiasm." Nevertheless, the PA is one of the largest recipients of international aid in the world, with the donations reinforcing bad governance. The writer is a senior fellow at the Security Studies Group in Washington.