 The Palestinian Authority is quietly bracing for the prospect of collapse. PA officials said numerous officials have fled or plan to leave the West Bank for Jordan and other Arab states. They said the assessment of many in the PA leadership is that the authority could collapse by late 2005 as the split within the ruling Fatah movement widens "The Fatah is split between the young guard who wants to take over now and the old guard who wants to remain at all costs," a PA official said. "Whatever happens, the fate of Fatah is linked to the PA." Officials said PA security services have been unable to stem the increasing violence in the streets of Palestinian cities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. They said Fatah factions have been engaged in gun battles in Ramallah, the center of Palestinian government, while police largely stood by. |