ABSTRACT

The concept of security was at the heart of both the Palestinian statebuilding agenda and the concrete nature of the PA’s post-2007 policy making. It is the most obvious focal point where Israeli, international and the Fatahdominated PA’s interests converged. While all sides contributed to different extents to this broad consensus of interests, the PA was the primary conduit through which it was condensed into policy and put into practice. From the outset, this agenda’s primary objectives were to rid the West Bank of Hamas’ influence and to re-assert order in the wake of the Second Intifada. This programme won support from Israel because it also served the purpose of maintaining Israeli dominance over the West Bank. But Salam Fayyad also promoted it – in both public and in private – as the first, essential stage of statebuilding.