The political entanglement in Israel is slowly and steadily strangling the Palestinian Authority

The political entanglement in Israel is slowly and steadily strangling the Palestinian Authority, according to an analysis by Zman Yisrael. PA Deputy Chairman Hussein al-Sheikh called the Knesset election results "an internal Israeli matter," but in practice these results could have an existential impact on the PA's survival. The prevailing assessment is that the PA would have struggled to survive another term of the outgoing Netanyahu government, which took steps that brought the Ramallah administration to the brink of collapse. PA officials hoped the elections would lead to a new government that would unfreeze the tax revenues Israel collects for the Palestinians—funds that constitute the bulk of the Palestinian budget. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has refused to approve the transfer of funds for 18 months, and the debt to Ramallah has swelled to over seven billion dollars. The current coalition has shrunk to 53 seats, but another round of elections is the most likely scenario. The continued deadlock leaves Netanyahu, Smotrich, and Ben Gvir in key positions. Several PA officials have marked the end of 2026 as an unofficial deadline for the PA's ability to function. The PA has paid about 150,000 employees half their salaries, and the average salary stands at about $1,250. Public schools operate three days a week, and hospitals face a critical shortage of medicines. Palestinian commentator Ibrahim Dalalsha estimates the PA will survive beyond 2026 but under severe austerity measures. A PA official estimates that American pressure could help unfreeze funds, but Washington's attention is limited to Gaza. An alternative lifeline may come from donor countries, but global priorities have shifted due to the war in Iran. Frustration is mounting in the European Union over Abbas's postponement of Palestinian elections. The PA's preferred scenario is a minority government led by Gadi Eisenkot, but another senior official argues that a broad unity government might be better, even if Netanyahu heads it.