Palestinian Civil Police Force

File:Palestinian territories police licenseplate.jpg

File:Gaza police exercise in 2011 (07).jpg

The Civil Police was formally established with the May 1994 signing of the Gaza–Jericho Agreement, a chapter in the Oslo Accords process, under the umbrella of the General Security Service. Founded with over 10,000 officers, it was the largest substituent of the Palestinian National Security Forces.[http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/world/palestine/cp.htm Civil Police (al-Shurta Madaniyya)] GlobalSecurity.org The agreement called for the civil police maintaining public order from 25 stations throughout the Palestinian-administered parts of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.[http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Peace%20Process/Guide%20to%20the%20Peace%20Process/The%20Israeli-Palestinian%20Interim%20Agreement%20-%20Main%20P Main Points of the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip] Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Long-time Police head Ghazi al-Jabali was criticised for corruption and curbing press and civil rights freedoms. In 2004, he was kidnapped by the Jenin Martyrs Brigades, part of the Popular Resistance Committees, and only released after Palestinian President Yasser Arafat agreed to fire him. Al-Jabali was replaced with Arafat's cousin, Musa Arafat, a move which did little to restore public confidence in Police.[http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-24716342_ITM Arafat appoints West Bank and Gaza Strip police chief - Al-Jazeera.]

According to the International Crisis Group, Palestinian police and security forces succeeded in effectively "preventing, prosecuting and reducing crime" in the late 1990s.

During the course of the Second Intifada and its armed conflict, Palestinian police were unable to patrol armed or in uniform, lest they be engaged by Israeli security forces as combatants. As the armed conflict petered out after three years, Palestinian police forces returned to regular operations in 2003–2004.[http://www.crisisgroup.org/~/media/Files/Middle%20East%20North%20Africa/Israel%20Palestine/Who%20Governs%20the%20West%20Bank%20Palestinian%20Administration%20under%20Israeli%20Occupation.pdf Who Governs the West Bank? Palestinian Administration under Israeli Occupation] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110904064450/http://www.crisisgroup.org/~/media/Files/Middle%20East%20North%20Africa/Israel%20Palestine/Who%20Governs%20the%20West%20Bank%20Palestinian%20Administration%20under%20Israeli%20Occupation.pdf |date=2011-09-04 }} International Crisis Group

During the Gaza war Hamas members assigned in the civilian police force in the Gaza Strip (القوة التنفيذية) were systemically targeted and killed by the Israeli military.{{cite web |title=Israeli strikes in Gaza kill five Palestinian police officers |url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israeli-strikes-gaza-kill-five-palestinian-police-officers#:~:text=At%20least%20five%20members%20of,in%2C%20said%20Gaza's%20interior%20ministry. |website=Middle East Eye |access-date=10 September 2024}} The attacks impacted the ability for humanitarian aid to be delivered, as well as the rise of other armed gangs which would frequently raid humanitarian aid trucks in absence of Hamas forces.{{cite web |last1=Morris |first1=Loveday |title=Gaza aid delivery hampered by Israeli attacks on police, rising chaos |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/02/22/gaza-aid-deliveries-looting-police-hamas/ |website=The Washington Post |access-date=10 September 2024}}

In order to aid the Palestinian government in "establishing sustainable and effective civil policing arrangements", the European Union Co-ordinating Office for Palestinian Police Support, EUPOLCOPPS, was established beginning 2006.

The Palestinian Civil Police development includes creation of a Jericho Police Training School,[https://archive.today/20120913135820/http://www.palpolice.ps/ar/?p=52340 افتتاح دورة متقدمة في الحاسوب في كلية الشرطة في أريحا] and strengthening of investigative sectors like Crime Investigation Department, Anti-Narcotics General Administration, and Investigation Section.[http://www.eupolcopps.eu/content/police-advisory-section Police Advisory Section] European Union Co-ordinating Office for Palestinian Police Support

The EUCOPPS mission has facilitated the training of Civil Police personnel as well as the donation of equipment including vehicles from European donor-states.[http://reliefweb.int/node/354934 Belgium donates 25 cars to Palestinian Civil Police]{{Cite web |url=http://www.ramallah.diplo.de/Vertretung/ramallah/de/polizei__training__seite.html |title=Training Prosecutors and Palestinian Civil Police Officers in Germany through Eupol Copps |access-date=2012-02-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304073821/http://www.ramallah.diplo.de/Vertretung/ramallah/de/polizei__training__seite.html |archive-date=2016-03-04 |url-status=dead }}

A Palestinian Local Aid Coordination Secretariat strategic report on the Civil Police lists among the force's strengths its leadership's youth and academic credentials, high loyalty and commitment to regulations and motivation, while weaknesses included poorly or undefined legal frameworks and logistical shortages, especially communications equipment and transportation.[http://www.lacs.ps/documentsShow.aspx?ATT_ID=611 Palestinian Civil Police Strategic Framework] Local Aid Coordination Secretariat

Since 2007, the Palestinian Civil Police and the Israel Police have increased cooperation as confidence-building measures and a part of Palestinian institution-building. Since their jurisdictions are intertwined, cooperative tactics include having Israel police issue traffic citations to Palestinian drivers and repatriating the proceeds to the Palestinian Civil Police.[http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Growing-ties-between-Israeli-PA-police-forces Growing ties between Israeli, PA police forces]. The Jerusalem Post, 10 September 2009

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• Ghazi al-Jabali (1994 – 2002)
• Alaa Hosni (2002 – 2004)
• Saeb Al-Ajez (2004 – 2007)
• Kamal al-Sheikh (2007 – 2008)
• Hazem Atallah (March 25, 2008 – October 2, 2021)
• Youssef Al-Helou (October 2, 2021 – September 1, 2024)
• Allam Saqa (September 1, 2024 – present)

{{Commons category|Police of the State of Palestine}}

• United States security assistance to the Palestinian Authority
• Common Security and Defence Policy
• European Union Police Mission for the Palestinian Territories

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Category:Law enforcement in Palestine

Category:Palestinian Security Services

Category:1994 establishments in Palestine

Category:Emergency services in Palestine

Category:National police forces