Special Report: Terrorists in Uniform: A Study of Palestinian Authority Security Forces’ Terror Involvement

Last Thursday, two terrorists attacked and murdered a 22-year-old Israeli named Shalev Zevuloni in the parking lot of a shopping center. The terrorists, who were shot and killed immediately, were Palestinian Authority Police officers.

Not only did the PA not condemn the murder committed by members of its Western-funded PA Security Forces (PASF), but the PA immediately gave the terrorist police officers the ultimate praise, coining them "Shahids" - Martyrs, who died for Allah. The official PA daily wrote:

"Soldiers and Israeli settlers continued to escalate their crimes… Two young men were shot by the Israeli occupation army and died as Shahids (Martyrs)."

[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, July 11, 2025]

PMW SPECIAL REPORT:  
Today, PMW is releasing our new report on the PA Security Forces' active involvement in terror. The report exposes that not only is this recent murder by a PASF member not an exception, but for years, the PASF has been active in terror and murder, backed by the support and praise of the leadership. The report documents:

• The PASF spokesman praising the PASF forces specifically because they are fighting Israel, filling the Israeli prisons, and achieving Martyrdom. [pg 1]
• A PASF terrorist was released after 18 years in prison and was immediately welcomed back to his unit as a hero. [pg 2]
• The head of PASF, Maj. Gen. Majed Faraj, gave special cash grants to the families of PASF officers in prison for terrorism [pg 3]
• A terrorist given a PASF military funeral adorned with a headband of Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades [pg 4]
• A PASF spokesman carried on the shoulders of terrorists as he cheered the name of the terror org. [pg 8]
• Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah explained that a terror attack in which an Israeli was killed was "high-quality" specifically because it was "carried out by… one of the Palestinian Security Forces officers." [pg 9]
• Israel killed a PASF officer who was "one of the central terror leaders in Judea and Samaria." [pg 10]
• Fatah praised the PASF terrorists: "By day security Forces, and by night self-sacrificing fighters." [pg 14]
• And many additional items documenting PASF terrorism.

From the conclusion:

"The Palestinian Authority's Security Forces are deeply and fundamentally involved in terror. Their terror involvement is not condemned by the PA or Fatah, rather it is glorified as an essential and heroic part of their role in the PASF. 

With Fatah and the PA Security Forces so deeply involved in terror, the suggestion to empower them to rule Gaza after Israel has destroyed Hamas is both dangerous and inconceivable. The military force that will rule Gaza after the war cannot be fundamentally involved in terror, or the entire operation to destroy the terror infrastructure will have been in vain.

The Palestinian Authority and its Security Forces are essential parts of the terror problem. It is a mistake to believe they can be part of the solution."

The following is the full report: