The **Palestinian Authority (PA)**, officially the **Palestinian National Authority (PNA)**, is an interim governing body established in 1994 following the 1993 Oslo Accords between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel. It was designed to administer limited Palestinian self-governance in parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with responsibilities for civil administration, municipal governance, courts, schools, and internal security in designated areas. The PA operates mainly from Ramallah in the West Bank and was initially intended as a temporary body pending a final peace agreement, which has not yet been achieved[1][3][4]. Historically, the PA’s creation marked a significant step in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, with Yasser Arafat elected as its first president in 1996. It was tasked with establishing institutional governance while managing security concerns and negotiations. However, the PA’s authority has been limited and fragmented, especially given the Israeli military presence and the division with Hamas, which controls Gaza and is excluded from the PA governance structure[4][2]. The PA’s governance has been criticized for corruption, inefficiency, and authoritarian tendencies, with President Mahmoud Abbas extending his rule beyond expected terms and suppressing political opposition. Elections have not been held since 2006, and the PA is often viewed as lacking democratic legitimacy[2][3]. Key achievements include establishing administrative frameworks in Palestinian territories and gaining international recognition for the State of Palestine, which was accorded non-member observer status at the UN in 2012 and is recognized by 157 countries as of 2025[3]. The PA continues to seek international support to improve governance and advocate for Palestinian rights on the global stage. Recently, it has expressed readiness to reassume full responsibility for Gaza governance, rejecting Hamas’s role there, and calls for renewed peace negotiations involving key international partners[5]. Despite ongoing challenges, the PA remains central to Palestinian political life and diplomacy,