Ammon News - The Biden administration asked Israel to approve U.S. military assistance to Palestinian Authority security forces for a wide-ranging operation the PA is conducting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Palestinian, U.S. and Israeli officials told Axios.

The security operation to regain control in the city of Jenin and its refugee camp from militants is the largest conducted by Palestinian security forces in years.

Palestinian and Israeli officials said the operation is focused on a local armed group that includes militants affiliated with both Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and Hamas. Both groups receive funding from Iran.

"This operation is a make or break moment for the Palestinian Authority," one Palestinian official said.

Palestinian and U.S. officials said Palestinian leadership launched the operation out of fear that Islamist militants — emboldened after armed rebels took control of Syria — could try to overthrow the Palestinian Authority.

The security situation in Jenin has been deteriorating for months as the Palestinian Authority's control has gradually weakened. Local militants took control of the Jenin refugee camp more than a year ago and Palestinian Authority security forces refrained from entering it.