Last week I went to Jericho and saw the future. I spent the day with the Palestinian Authority security forces, seeing them train, hearing from their commanders, and talking to their Senior Leadership course.

The good news is that these are serious, professional, courageous commanders, committed to their task of keeping the areas under their control safe. They believe in their mission, and they are doing an increasingly good job. I have lost count of the number of times Israeli security professionals have told me of their growing admiration for the Palestinian security forces, and how much things have changed in recent years.

The impact of the Palestinian Authority security forces has been positive on Israel’s security. The IDF has been able to pull back a large proportion of its combat troops from the West Bank. Last year was the first year in a long time that saw no Israelis killed by terrorism coming from the West Bank.

The Palestinian commanders I spoke to were clear that they are doing their jobs not for Israel’s security, but for the security of their own people. They know that Palestinians want to live in peace and security, free from crime and the threat of violence, just like anyone else. And, just like anyone else, they want law and order to be enforced by their own people, not by someone else.

But these commanders also know their mission has a wider purpose – to prepare the Palestinians for statehood. They know they are the main answer to the question ‘if there’s a Palestinian state, what about Israel’s security?’ They know there can only be a Palestinian state if they are ready to step up, letting their Israeli counterparts step back. They know they have a crucial part to play in building a Palestinian state, living side by side with Israel in peace and security. They know this has to be made to work on the ground, day in and day out. And it is.

That is why the UK invests so much in training the Palestinian security forces.

Read this article in full at Ynet.