RAMALLAH — The chairman-elect of the Palestinian Authority plans to
reshuffle the leadership of security agencies in an effort to restore
control over the 40,000 police and security forces.
PA Chairman-elect Mahmoud Abbas has been discussing a series of
appointments for the leading security positions of his regime. Aides said
Abbas intends to appoint several of his allies to the Interior Ministry and
major command posts.
On Sunday, Abbas won more than 65 percent of the vote in elections for
PA chairman. The aides said Israel and the United States were expected to
press Abbas to halt mortar and missile attacks against Israeli targets over
the next few weeks. So far, Abbas has pledged to persuade insurgency groups
to halt operations.
The aides said Abbas plans to replace Interior Minister Hakam Balawi, an
appointment of the late PA Chairman Yasser Arafat. But the aides said Abbas
has not decided on who will replace Balawi, saying two candidates were being
considered.
One of the candidates was said to be former police commander Gen. Nasser
Yusef. Yusef, for years a gadfly of Arafat, had been sought for the position
of interior minister when Abbas was prime minister in 2003. The aides said
both Israel and the United States have encouraged Abbas to appoint Yusef.
The aides said Abbas plans to appoint Mohammed Dahlan as security
minister in the Cabinet. Dahlan also served in Abbas's Cabinet in 2003 but
was neutralized by Arafat appointees, particularly his longtime rival
National Security Adviser Jibril Rajoub.
On Sunday, Dahlan and Rajoub were said to have reconciled, capping
months of effort by Egypt. Rajoub was expected to remain a senior official
in Abbas's administration.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has invited Abbas for a meeting.
Sharon was said to have proposed to Abbas a halt in Palestinian missile
strikes in exchange for an Israeli release of Palestinian prisoners. Hamas
has fired Kassam-class short-range missiles toward Israel nearly every day
for the last 10 days.
On Monday, Palestinian gunners fired mortars toward Israeli communities
in the Gaza Strip. Nobody was reported injured.
