The sources said Moeller, with a staff of nearly 50, has pledged to
serve as a faciliator for PA security operations and training. They said the
general, a former senior officer in U.S. Central Command, has been planning
for the expansion of the training of the National Security Forces in Jordan
this year.
Moeller has focused on programs to develop the National Security Forces,
with 7,000 officers, and the Presidential Guard, with about 2,500 members.
PG was said to have undergone a range of non-lethal training, particularly
in anti-riot and rapid reaction, while NSF was being turned into a paramilitary
force similar to the European Gendarmerie.
Dayton's last year in the West Bank was said to have been fraught with
tension. The sources said Dayton was boycotted by virtually the entire PA
leadership with the exception of Interior Minister Said Abu Ali.
At one point, Fayad himself was said to have lobbied in Washington for
the replacement of Dayton. The sources said Dayton was highly
interventional, opposing PA anti-crime campaigns in such cities as Hebron
and Nablus, and often tended to side with Israel.
The sources said Moeller, an Air Force officer, has been careful to
maintain a low profile. They said the U.S. general has refused newspaper
interviews or public appearances until he cements his relationship with both
Israel and the PA.
"He will probably stick with the technical issues and leave the
statements to his superiors in Washington," another Palestinian source said.