With the departure of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip this summer, attention is focusing on the ability of the Palestinians to assert control in an area of increasing lawlessness.
It is a challenge beset by problems: the infrastructure of the Palestinian security forces has been decimated by Israeli attacks and the territory is awash with illicit weapons and armed groups.
The multitude of security forces themselves are in poor shape - badly-equipped with ill-defined roles, competing branches and an unreformed hierarchical structure set up under the autocratic rule of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
But after a period of stagnation and disarray, the international community has begun a drive to transform the largest of the security services, the civilian police, into a modern force capable of enforcing the rule of law and stamping out growing chaos.
At the centre of this move is the European Union, which recently announced a new three-year mission to reform and rebuild the police force in the West Bank and Gaza.
"The civil police is the cornerstone of all the Palestinian security forces," Jonathan McIvor, the head of the EU Co-ordinating Office for Palestinian Police Support, known as EU-Copps, told the BBC News website.
"It is a cornerstone of democracy, it's the most important of all the Palestinian security forces in terms of building a Palestinian state, not to mention the most 'together'."
Air of optimism
The EU-Copps, which began work as a four-man team in early 2005, will from January expand to comprise 33 international (unarmed) staff plus 17 Palestinian personnel - a recognition of its success so far.
A fleet of new police cars sit near a crater carved by an Israeli missile
It will be the EU's first security role with the Palestinians - until now it has only provided the Palestinian Authority with economic aid, albeit as the largest PA's contributor.
Kaj Stendorf, chief superintendent of the Danish national police, is among the advisers training the Palestinian police.
In a parade ground outside his office in the Palestinian police headquarters in Gaza City stands a fleet of gleaming blue patrol cars, part of a 1,000-strong consignment delivered by the European mission.
Beside them lies a deep crater gouged out by an Israeli missile - a reminder of the damage from which the police have yet to recover after years of conflict.
Despite the scale of the task in hand, Kaj remains upbeat.
"We're not starting from scratch, there's definitely a potential to build on," he said.
"There's an optimism in the police force. They want to do the job, but they lack the tools."
Building trust
It is a deficiency which the EU-Copps has begun to address with some significant results.
DONORS TO EUCOPPS PROJECTS
Spain: Police vehicles and equipment
UK: Bomb disposal tools, police communications equipment
Denmark: Garages for bomb disposal equipment
Norway: Police batons
Netherlands: Furnishings for Jericho training centre
Within its first few months, the mission - with the help of Denmark, the UK and Norway - restored the radio communication system to 60% of the Palestinian police force, after it had been decimated by Israeli attacks.
In addition to the patrol cars, the EU-Copps saw to the delivery of 50 motorcycles for traffic police and 1,500 riot control kits, all donated by Spain, at a cost of 10m euros ($12m).
In the West Bank, the EU-Copps refurbished the police training centre in Jericho and is building a dormitory there with money donated by the UK.
It is also running smaller projects, from renovating police posts to purchasing equipment from uniforms and computers, down to paper and bottles of ink.
A high-ranking officer from the Palestinian police is involved in all the project management committees and decision-making process.
"Building trust is the most important thing. It's a learning curve for the Palestinians so they can eventually take over and carry on our work because we don't see ourselves here forever," said Kaj.
Bomb squad
One of the EU-Copps' most important functions has been to modernise and train the Palestinian police's bomb squad, or Explosive and Ordnance Disposal Unit (EODU).
The bomb squad was previously using outdated equipment
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The Gaza Strip is littered with deadly devices, from mines left behind by the Israeli army to explosives planted by militants and even shells dating back to WW1.
Before the arrival of the mission, the 120-strong EODU was working with outdated equipment and lost four of its officers trying to defuse bombs.
Palestinian children are often among the casualties caused by discarded explosives, prompting the UN children's charity Unicef to launch an awareness campaign.
"Despite the lack of training, the unit is really committed to their job because of its humanitarian angle," said Kaj.
One of the EU-Copps' first acts was to organise the delivery in April this year of four Land Rovers equipped with bomb disposal apparatus, all donated by the British army.
It had to allay Israeli fears about the delivery of such sensitive equipment to the Palestinians, and enlisted the Danes to build secure storage facilities.
There has been little co-operation between the Israeli and Palestinian security forces since the outbreak of the Palestinian uprising in 2000, but it is a gap the EU-Copps is helping bridge.
By the end of its three-year term, Kaj says, the EU-Copps mission should benefit both sides.
"We aim to turn the Palestinian police into a modern, well-organised, well-structured, well-policed security service.
"It will provide safety not only for Palestinians, but by default Israel too."