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Former Jewish communities in Gaza now terror training camps

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Monday, December 12, 2005

GAZA CITY — The Palestinian Authority has converted abandoned Jewish communities in the Gaza Strip into training camps for Palestinian security forces. But Palestinian sources acknowledged a turf battle for the the sites involving insurgency groups.

Officials said several of the 21 Jewish communities dismantled by Israel in September 2005 have become training grounds for insurgents from the ruling Fatah movement as well as the Islamic opposition. They said training included members of the new "Popular Army" sponsored by Fatah.

In November 2005, PA Interior Minister Nasser Yusef toured the training camps in the former Jewish community of Neve Dekalim. Neve Dekalim was the largest of the Jewish municipalities in the Gaza Strip. In all, about 9,000 Jews had lived in the Gaza Strip until their expulsion by Israel's military.

The Interior Ministry has drafted a plan for the use of the former Jewish communities, deemed a "closed military zone" by the PA. Officials acknowledged that organized crime as well as insurgency groups have clashed over control of the territory.

Hamas sources reported that Hamas has been granted access to the new training grounds in Neve Dekalim which have also been used to launch Kassam-class short-range missiles toward Israel.



Officials said plans to develop the abandoned Jewish communities have been delayed by fighting within the PA. Much of the area has been blocked by debris from demolished buildings.


Copyright © 2005 East West Services, Inc.

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