In 2004, the Gaza Strip and West Bank deteriorated into intra-Palestinian violence on several occasions. This violence escalated demands across Palestinian society that the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat surrender some of his powers and reform a judicial system riddled with inefficiency and corruption. An examination of past nation-building efforts in countries such as East Timor and Bosnia illustrates a number of steps the Palestinians and interested international players can take to improve these deficiencies.