The United States has applauded headway made by the Palestinian
Authority in reforming its security
agencies.
U.S. officials said PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has taken several steps to
reform the agencies. They cited Abbas's announcement of the consolidation of
at least 12 security agencies to three groups and the reported arrest of
Palestinian insurgents.
[On Monday, Islamic Jihad operatives attacked Israeli military forces
near the northern West Bank town of Tulkarm, Middle East Newsline reported. Palestinian sources reported
that at least one soldier and a Jihad operative were killed.]
"President Abbas has deployed Palestinian security forces in a number of
areas," State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said. "They have made a
number of arrests. I think they have shown a level of energy and activism
that we certainly didn't see under [the late] Chairman Arafat."
Ereli said Gen. William Ward, the administration's security liasion with
the Palestinians, was working to help reform and bolster the PA security
services. He said the effort was difficult and would take a while.
"I think that's why General Ward is there — to help work with the
Palestinians, to identify areas that need work, to come up with action
plans, to follow through, to coordinate with others and to help keep the
process moving forward," Ereli said on April 29. "It's a big job, it's
complicated, it's complex and it's ongoing."
Officials said Abbas has arrested Palestinian insurgents in both the
West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The insurgents have included members of the
ruling Fatah movement, said to have fired missiles toward Israel.
The United States has been monitoring Russia's efforts to provide
armored personnel carriers, Mi-17 helicopters and communications equipment
to the PA. Officials said the Bush administration has not rejected the
prospect of Russian military equipment to the PA.
"One area of concern, obviously, for all of us is that lethal equipment
not find their way into the hands of terrorists and to those who are
committed to using violence to destroy the peace process," Ereli said. "So
our view is that there need to be clear guarantees, clear measures taken to
prevent that before moving forward."
Israel has rejected the transfer of Russian or other weapons to the PA.
Officials said Israel has told the United States that the PA must first
collect weapons from Palestinian insurgency groups.