West Bank Military - 2023

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Military and security forces

per the Oslo Accords, the PA is not permitted a conventional military but maintains security and police forces; PA security personnel have operated almost exclusively in the West Bank since HAMAS seized power in the Gaza Strip in 2007; PA forces include National Security Forces, Presidential Guard, Civil Police, Civil Defense, Preventive Security Organization, the General Intelligence Organization, and the Military Intelligence Organization (2022)

note: the National Security Forces conduct gendarmerie-style security operations in circumstances that exceed the capabilities of the Civil Police; it is the largest branch of the PA security services and acts as the Palestinian army; the Presidential Guard protects facilities and provides dignitary protection; the Preventive Security Organization is responsible for internal intelligence gathering and investigations related to internal security cases, including political dissent

Military expenditures

not available

Military and security service personnel strengths

the PA Security Forces have approximately 30,000 active personnel (2022)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the security services are armed mostly with small arms and light weapons, although in recent years, they have received small amounts of heavier equipment from Jordan (armored personnel carriers) and Russia (armored personnel carriers and transport helicopters) (2022)

Military service age and obligation

not available

Military - note

the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are responsible for the West Bank, but PA security forces were granted security control of 17.5% (called Area A) under the 1993 Oslo accords; the PA has administrative control over Area B (about 22% of the West Bank), but security control is shared with Israeli authorities; Israel maintains all administrative and security control of Area C, which comprises about 61% of the West Bank (2023)

NOTE: The information regarding West Bank on this page is re-published from the 2023 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of West Bank 2023 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about West Bank 2023 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.