Palestinian Authority dismisses two top officials, including transportation chief, over corruption and smuggling suspicions amid international pressure for reforms.
PA Fires Top Transportation and Crossings Officials Amid Corruption Probe
The Palestinian Authority (PA) dismissed two senior officials on Sunday amid mounting corruption allegations, in what analysts describe as the latest sign of deep dysfunction within the Ramallah-based administration.
According to Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Tareq Zou’rob, the PA’s top transportation official, was removed from office following an internal probe into “licensing irregularities and unauthorized approvals.” The PA prosecution has reportedly launched a full investigation into the matter.
Sama News, a Palestinian outlet, reported that the accusations against Zou’rob involve “granting licenses and approvals in violation of official procedures,” suggesting potential bribery and abuse of office.
Antiquities Smuggling Allegations Rock Crossings Authority
In a separate case, Nazmi Muhanna, head of the Palestinian Crossings Authority, was also dismissed after becoming wanted for questioning over alleged antiquities smuggling.
Sources told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that Muhanna failed to appear for interrogation for two consecutive weeks, prompting his removal and the issuance of a warrant by PA prosecutors.
Muhanna, who has held the position for over a decade, oversaw coordination with both Israeli and Egyptian border officials, making the allegations especially sensitive amid heightened scrutiny over PA governance and border control integrity.
Mounting Pressure on PA to Reform
The dual dismissals come amid increasing pressure from the United States, the European Union, and Arab states demanding the PA curb widespread corruption and restructure its bloated bureaucracy.
Diplomatic sources in Ramallah told Arutz Sheva that Western donors have “made clear that further financial assistance depends on verifiable anti-corruption action.”
Accusations of corruption have plagued the PA for more than a decade, with multiple scandals surfacing since 2011 involving cabinet ministers, customs officials, and local governors.
“The Palestinian Authority is cracking from within,” said an Israeli security analyst. “These dismissals are not reform — they are crisis management under pressure.”
Analysis: Corruption Weakens Abbas’s Grip
Observers note that the latest scandal further undermines PA President Mahmoud Abbas’s already fragile credibility, especially as Washington and regional actors discuss post-war Gaza governance.
The corruption purge, though presented as reform, may signal growing internal power struggles within Fatah and between Ramallah elites competing for control of future aid and reconstruction funds.
