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Palestinians turn against the leadership

Could Nizar Banat's death be a turning point in Palestinian politics?

There is continuing anger in the West Bank over the death in custody of a vociferous critic of the Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas. Nizar Banat, an anti-corruption campaigner, was picked up in a violent night-time raid at his home in Hebron. The Palestinian Authority has launched an investigation into the circumstances of Banat's death and has promised action against anyone responsible. But that's done little to placate protesters who allege that the Palestinian security forces use extra-judicial force against anyone who questions or criticises the leadership. They say this behaviour is emblematic of a wider break down of law and order and a thriving culture of corruption in the West Bank, where elections were last held over 15 years ago. So why is corruption such a problem and where is it happening? Is there scope for reforms with the current leadership in charge? And how dependent is any change on the overall relationship with Israel and rival administration in Gaza, run by Hamas? Ritula Shah is joined by a panel of Palestinian commentators.

Available now

50 minutes

Last on

Sat 3 Jul 2021 03:06GMT

Contributors

Dana El Kurd - Palestinian academic; author of 'Polarized and Demobilized: Legacies of Authoritarianism in Palestine'

Nour Odeh - Palestinian politician and former journalist

Mariam Barghouti - Palestinian writer based in Ramallah, in the West Bank

Picture

Demonstrators stand in front of police during clashes at a protest in Ramallah, in Israeli occupied West Bank. Credit: REUTERS/MohamadΒ TorokmanΒ 

Broadcasts

  • Fri 2 Jul 2021 09:06GMT
  • Fri 2 Jul 2021 23:06GMT
  • Sat 3 Jul 2021 03:06GMT

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