The man appointed by President Bush to oversee the restructuring of the Palestinian Authority security forces has testified that they have
ballooned to nearly 60,000 officers, with only one third of them showing up
for work.
White House envoy Lt. Gen. William Ward told the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee that PA security forces are "dysfunctional" and divided
into fiefdoms. Ward said on Thursday that two thirds of the 58,000 PA
security
officers fail to report to work.
U.S. officials said the PA police and security forces have made little
progress in reform and restructuring efforts in 2005, Middle East Newsline reported. They said the security
forces have come to resemble a social welfare agency for Fatah insurgents
who require jobs.
Ward, appointed in February 2005 to oversee the restructuring of PA
security, acknowledged that Palestinian police and security forces have been
incapable of imposing order in the Gaza Strip, meant to undergo an Israeli
withdrawal in August. Ward said PA police and security forces have no
credible commanders, communications or infrastructure.
The general told the Senate committee that he has completed a review of
Palestinian security requirements. He said PA forces would need weapons,
vehicles, communications, clothing and infrastructure.
The U.S. review of PA security forces identified four areas of need.
Officials cited communications and control; mobility and transportation;
logistics and medical; and force protection.
So far, Israel has opposed the transfer of weapons to PA forces until
they crack down on insurgency groups.
Officials said PA officers receive salaries regardless of whether they
report to work. They said the security forces have been used to employ
hundreds of Fatah insurgents wanted by Israel.
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has established mandatory retirement for
officers
over the age of 60. But officials said many of those officers remain in
their jobs.
Assistant Secretary of State David Welch said the European Union has
been training and equipping part of the PA police. He said Egypt has
provided training to an unspecified number of officers.
"Overall, Palestinian performance on confronting violence has been far
from satisfactory, and this is a real shortfall and area of concern,"
Assistant Secretary of State David Welch said. "We must be objective and
acknowledge that complete reform is not going to happen overnight. The
Palestinians still do not have a unified command structure, and their forces
lack the discipline and trust to respond appropriately to their official
chain of command."
