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Arafat takes a hard look at his security command

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Thursday, May 2, 2002

RAMALLAH Ñ Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat, freed after five months of an Israeli siege, plans to tighten control over his security agencies.

"I will go to see what has happened in the [West Bank] cities, in the towns, the losses," Arafat said on Thursday. "All our infrastructures have been destroyed."

Palestinian sources said Arafat has been urged to reorganize his security forces and appoint one commander to oversee the merger of an estimated 12 agencies, Middle East Newsline reported. The appeal has come from PA Preventive Security Apparatus chief Mohammed Dahlan, who appears to have emerged as Arafat's chief security aide during the siege in Ramallah.

Palestinian sources said Arafat plans to purge his agencies for officers felt to have been disloyal during his time trapped in the West Bank city of Ramallah. The sources said they don't expect Arafat to fire any of his security chiefs.

The exception could be Col. Jibril Rajoub, head of the West Bank security agency who has been accused of cooperating with Israel during its military offensive. Rajoub, with more than 2,000 agents under his control, had successfully resisted previous attempts by Arafat to replace him.

Fatah leaders are calling for the replacement of another senior Arafat adviser, Mohammed Rashid. The Fatah movement, headed by Arafat, asserted that Rashid has embezzled funds meant for the Palestinian war against Israel.

Arafat has ordered his security chiefs as well as Fatah commanders to reject any pressure by Israel for cooperation. The sources said Arafat insists that any request for cooperation from either Israel or other foreign security agencies be relayed for his approval.

The Palestinian leader is expected to tour West Bank and Gaza Strip cities in an attempt to reimpose his authority after his isolation. Arafat is expected to approve the appointment of new commanders to fill positions of those killed or captured by Israel during its military campaign in West Bank last month.

Arafat was released on late Wednesday after he handed over to British and U.S. representatives six Palestinians wanted by Israel. Four of the six were suspected of killing Israeli Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze'evi. The two others are Ahmed Saadat, West Bank secretary-general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and Arafat's financial chief Fuad Shubaki.

They have been detained in Jericho.

Hours later, Israeli troops withdrew from Ramallah. Arafat then left his office and greeted supporters in his compound.

In a related development, the Israeli daily Yediot Aharonot reported on Thursday that Jordanian forces have captured a Palestinian squad armed with Katyushas and rocket launchers. The squad planned to stage an attack on the Israeli Red Sea port town of Eilat.


Geostrategy-Direct, www.geostrategy-direct.com, April 23, 2002
Copyright © 2002 East West Services, Inc. All rights reserved.

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