# Mideast question-Arafat's power **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 4, 2001, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mideast-question-arafats-power/96878 "2001-12-04T18:56:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Oblong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c0e974/32.png) [@Oblong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oblong)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mideast-question-arafats-power/96878/1 "2001-12-04T18:56:45Z")
If there is no palestinian state, then how can Arafat arrest or otherwise control people? I know he’s the head of the PLO, but I figured that was just a club or organization without any police powers. Does Arafat have police powers? If so, over whom? I’m asking a straight factual based question, if this evolves into a debate, I’m innocent. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mideast-question-arafats-power/96878/2 "2001-12-04T19:46:49Z")
There is no Palestinian _state_, but there is the Palestinian Authority that, although it’s not a sovereign nation, has certain autonomy and possesses some rights that usually only countries have. This status was granted to the PA by, I think, the Dayton Treaty. The PA, for example, maintains diplomatic contacts to many nations (although those institutions are not called “embassies”, because this word is reserved for fully sovereign countries), it has a police force and some kind of parliament. The PA does hold elections for that parliament and the Presidency, but I don’t know when the next one’s scheduled. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mideast-question-arafats-power/96878/3 "2001-12-04T19:48:24Z")
The PA was represented on the 2000 World Exposition, btw, independently from Israel. Some kind of “half-sovereign”, if you want to say so. ---
**Author:** ![Oblong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c0e974/32.png) [@Oblong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oblong)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mideast-question-arafats-power/96878/4 "2001-12-04T20:00:08Z")
That tells me what I need to know. Thanks