RAMALLAH — The United States has provided more than $4 million for
the hiring of hundreds of insurgents into Palestinian Authority security
forces.
Palestinian sources said the Bush administration relayed 20 million
shekels, or $4.4 million, for the transfer of Fatah insurgents to the PA
security forces. The sources said the U.S. aid, allocated via the PA, was
meant to facilitate the elimination of the Fatah-dominated Al Aqsa Martyrs
Brigades, a leading insurgency force in the war against Israel.
Despite the absorption of Al Aqsa, the group continues to claim
responsibility for rocket and other attacks against Israel, Middle East Newsline reported. On Monday,
Palestinian gunners fired at least six missiles into Israel from the Gaza
Strip. Israeli artillery fired into empty fields used for Palestinian
missile launches.
"The U.S. money was meant to pay salaries for Al Aqsa people who join
the PA," a senior Palestinian source involved in the effort said.
Al Aqsa has a force of between 500 and 700 fighters, and the sources
said they would receive at least 1,750 shekels, or nearly $400, per month.
The sources said most of the fighters have agreed to join the PA security
forces, but said at least 100 would continue attacks against Israel in
operations financed by Iran and Hizbullah.
The United States has not reported aid for the absorption of Al
Aqsa into the PA. But U.S. officials said that in early 2005, Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice approved a plan to help the PA transform insurgency
cells
into units of the PA police and security forces.
Under the U.S. plan, any Palestinian insurgent who surrenders his weapon
to the PA and pledges to end attacks against Israel would receive a pension
of $100 per month. Most insurgents have instead demanded jobs in the PA
security forces.
The U.S. effort to help transform Al Aqsa fighters into Palestinian
security officers was not the first time Washington has financed Fatah
insurgents. In late 2004, Palestinian sources said, the United States
relayed several millions of dollars to Al Aqsa and other Fatah groups to
ensure their support for Mahmoud Abbas in his successful election as PA
chairman.
PA officials said the absorption of Al Aqsa fighters would take several
months and the new recruits would be allowed to keep their weapons. They
said a three-week training course would be arranged for the recruits and
then the PA would determine where the Fatah fighters would serve.
"We don't want to have Al Aqsa stay together in one unit," an official
said. "We would rather spread them around."
