Palestinian Security Services

Palestinian Security Services
خدمات الأمن الفلسطينية
Founded1994
Service branches

Palestinian police in Bethlehem, 2007

The Palestinian Security Services (PSS) are the armed forces and intelligence agencies of the State of Palestine. They comprise twelve branches, notably the Security Forces, the civil police, the Presidential Guard and the national security forces.[2] The President of the Palestinian National Authority is Commander-in-Chief of the Palestinian Forces.[3][4]

One in 16 West Bank Palestinians work for these branches, making the area one of the most policed populations in the world.[2] Both their training and funding are mainly provided by the United States and Israel. The Palestinian Authority spends more on its security than the combined budgetry disbursements it makes for education and health services.[2]

  1. ^ Friedrich and Luethold–2007, Appendix A. (the Executive Force was outlawed in 2007)
  2. ^ a b c Perry Anderson, 'The House of Zion,' New Left Review 1 December 2015.
  3. ^ The Palestinian Security Services: Past and Present. MIFTAH, 30 May 2006
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference 2003_basic_law was invoked but never defined (see the help page).