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Palestinian Militants in Nablus Rebelling Against Palestinian Authority

(Los Angeles Times) Joshua Mitnick - Sun-bleached posters of Palestinian militants adorn storefronts in the Balata neighborhood of Nablus in the West Bank in tribute to those killed in an uprising that faded more than a decade ago. But rebelliousness remains in Balata, much of it directed at the Palestinian Authority rather than Israel. Since June, four police officers have been killed by gunmen and four Nablus residents have died at the hands of police. Palestinian security officers say a recent crackdown is part of a campaign to restore order and break up gangs. With arms trade flowing freely in Nablus, gunfire at night is a regular occurrence. "Nablus is the epicenter of the anti-Abbas movement in Palestine right now," said Grant Rumley, a fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. "The longer Abbas goes on in this stagnant rule, where Fatah remains divided, and factions are positioning themselves for a post-Abbas vacuum, the more instability there is. The camps [such as Balata] are the front line."
2016-10-20 00:00:00
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