Coaches are defined by victories, not explanations. The same holds true for governments. Their legitimacy rests on delivering results for their people, and failure inevitably brings consequences. We’re witnessing this stark reality unfold in Iran, where widespread protests echo a desperate yearning for change, and a surprising embrace of unlikely allies.
Yet, a crucial double standard exists. While the world rightly demands accountability from some leaders, the Palestinian Authority (PA) operates with a disturbing lack of oversight. For decades, it has prioritized ideology over the well-being of its own people, fostering an environment of corruption and resentment.
The truth isn’t hidden. Tawfik Tirawi, a former head of Palestinian intelligence, recently exposed the systemic rot within the PA. He detailed unchecked corruption, politically motivated land grabs, and a leadership clinging to power far beyond its mandate – Mahmoud Abbas is now two decades into a four-year term.
Tirawi’s revelations aren’t those of an outsider; he’s a former insider revealing the failings of the team he once served. This corruption isn’t merely financial. The PA has demonstrably funded terrorism, diverting over $200 million to individuals and families connected to attacks against Israelis, despite pledges to cease such payments.
It’s a blatant act of deception, akin to cheating in a competition. Yet, Western governments largely tolerate this behavior, fearing that pressuring the PA will create a power vacuum for Hamas. This logic is fundamentally flawed. Tolerating failure *guarantees* the worst possible outcome.
Gaza stands as a chilling testament to this truth. Hamas rose to power promising to combat corruption, but instead established a brutal, extremist regime that indoctrinated its population with hatred. Now, the same dangerous dynamic is taking hold in Judea and Samaria, often referred to as the West Bank.
Recent polls reveal Hamas’s surging popularity, surpassing that of Fatah, the movement associated with the PA. Palestinian business and community leaders are openly expressing their frustration with the PA’s endemic corruption, fearing a future dominated by extremism.
To avert another Hamas takeover, a fundamental shift in strategy is essential. The long-held pursuit of a two-state solution has inadvertently entrenched a corrupt and unaccountable PA, removing any real incentive for public legitimacy. Maintaining this status quo only fuels the conditions that empower radicals.
A viable alternative lies in a decentralized model of local governance – an “eight-state” or local-emirate approach. This replaces a single, failing central authority with multiple centers of responsibility, empowering municipal and tribal leaders who already command local loyalty. This limits corruption and reduces the risk of complete collapse.
In Hebron, the al-Jaabari family is already pioneering this approach, working with Israeli officials to establish local autonomy and potentially join the Abraham Accords. This initiative represents a crucial effort to protect and empower local moderation, a rarity in Palestinian politics.
Palestinian politics has historically been defined by the suppression of moderate voices, resulting in a cycle of corrupt strongmen and violent extremists. A decentralized system disrupts this pattern. Crucially, educational reform is paramount. Palestinian textbooks and curricula are riddled with incitement against Israel and Jews.
Violence is glorified, Israel is erased from maps, and anti-Jewish sentiment permeates even basic subjects like math and science. This systematic indoctrination poisons the next generation and destroys any hope for peaceful coexistence. Under a decentralized framework, educational reform becomes both possible and enforceable.
Local governments that embrace pluralism would receive aid and support, while those that cling to militancy would face isolation. As former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman has observed, true progress in Judea and Samaria depends less on abstract statehood and more on local autonomy and economic opportunity.
Empowering local governance and deradicalizing education offer a path forward, a way to break free from the current dead end. Just as a losing team changes its strategy and personnel, a new approach is urgently needed in Judea and Samaria – one that prioritizes results, accountability, and the well-being of the Palestinian people.
