Palestinian Authority maintains armed force of more than 50,000 soldiers

International donors, including the United States and the European Union, have invested heavily in training and equipping PA units over the past two decades.

By Hezy Laing

The Palestinian Authority (PA) maintains one of the largest security establishments in the region relative to its population, a structure created under the Oslo Accords of the 1990s.

Due to the PA’s support for Arab terrorism, Israel worries that they could turn against Israel at any time.

The Oslo agreements allowed the PA to form internal armed forces responsible for policing, intelligence, and civil order, even though the accords did not permit the creation of a conventional army.

Today, the PA controls more than six separate armed forces: the National Security Forces, the Presidential Guard, the Preventive Security Organization, the General Intelligence Service, the Civil Police, and specialized branches such as the Civil Defense and Coastal Police.

Most estimates place the combined manpower of these groups between forty thousand and sixty thousand personnel, making the PA one of the largest employers in Judea and Samaria

Officially these forces are equipped with small arms, armored vehicles, and light weaponry, all of which require Israeli approval under the terms of the Oslo framework.

Unofficially, it is likely they also possess plenty of heavy weaponry smuggled into Judea and Samaria.

The PA was allowed to maintain these forces to “ensure internal stability,” prevent Hamas from operating freely, and cooperate with Israel on security matters.

Several PA forces have published videos online depicting maneuvers that have little to do with policing duties and more to do with attacking a neighboring town, city, or country.

International donors, including the United States and the European Union, have invested heavily in training and equipping PA units over the past two decades.

At the same time, the PA has faced significant criticism for its “pay for slay” terror‑payment system, which provides monthly stipends to Palestinian terrorists imprisoned by Israel, including those convicted of deadly attacks, as well as payments to families of those killed while carrying out violence.

The PA has also been criticized for rhetoric that routinely praises violence against Israelis, including statements that depict terrorists as “martyrs.”

PA President Mahmoud Abbas himself has praised the October 7th massacre of Israelis, calling it “the greatest day in Palestinian history.”

The PA’s security forces remain central to governance in Judea and Samaria, but their complex role—balancing cooperation with Israel while promoting narratives that honor terrorism—continues to generate tension.