Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2022
United States Department of State • Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
WEST BANK AND GAZA STRIP 2022 HUMAN
RIGHTS REPORT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Palestinian Authority Basic Law provides for an elected president and
legislative council. There have been no elections in the West Bank and Gaza Strip
for Palestinian Authority offices since 2006, and Palestinians there do not have the
right to vote in Israeli elections. President Mahmoud Abbas has remained in office
despite the expiration of his four-year term in 2009. The Palestinian Legislative
Council has not functioned since 2007, and in 2018 the Palestinian Authority
dissolved the Constitutional Court. President Abbas indefinitely postponed
national elections in April 2021, stating the reason was that Israel had not agreed to
allow Palestinians in East Jerusalem to participate in voting per Israel’s
commitment in the Oslo Accords. The Palestinian Authority head of government
is Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh. President Abbas is also chairman of the
Palestine Liberation Organization and general commander of the Fatah movement.
Eight uniformed Palestinian Authority security force (PASF) agencies operated in
parts of the West Bank. Several are under Palestinian Authority Ministry of
Interior operational control and follow the prime minister’s guidance. Th e
Palestinian Civil Police has primary responsibility for civil and community
policing. The National Security Forces conduct gendarmerie-style security
operations in circumstances that exceed the capabilities of the civil police.
Military Intelligence handles criminal matters involving PASF personnel,
including any accusations of serious offenses. General Intelligence is responsible
for external intelligence gathering and operations and internal criminal
investigations and arrests. The Preventive Security Organization is responsible for
internal intelligence gathering and investigations related to internal security cases.
The Palestinian Authority uses the Preventive Security Organization at times to
crack down on dissent it considers threatening to political stability. The
Presidential Guard protects facilities and provides dignitary protection. The Civil
Defense provides emergency response, including for fires, for which Israel has
increasingly requested them to operate within Israel. The Military Medical
