GAZA CITY — Officials said PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has held meetings with Hamas
representatives to discuss the transfer of security agencies to the
authority of Prime Minister-designate Ismail Haniyeh. Haniyeh led Hamas to
capture the Palestinian Legislative Council in elections on Jan. 25.
The Hamas government, however, would not be granted authority over PA
intelligence agencies. Abbas said this would include General Intelligence,
directly controlled by the chairman.
In an interview with the London-based Al Hayat daily on Thursday, Abbas
justified his retention of the intelligence agencies, Middle East Newsline reported. He said Al Qaida has
established a presence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and pointed to
Hamas's links with Iran and Syria. Later, PA officials said one Al Qaida
suspect was arrested.
"I have received irrefutable intelligence over the past three days of an
Al Qaida presence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip," Abbas said. "We haven't
yet reached the stage of capturing them. If Al Qaida is allowed to enter the
region, the entire area would be destroyed."
"We'll grant Hamas authority over Palestinian national security because
we need to have one body that controls the situation to ensure security,"
Abbas told the Qatari-based A-Jazeera satellite channel. "I don't intend to
deprive Hamas of what I demanded in the past from Yasser Arafat."
Abbas served as prime minister under Arafat in 2003. During his brief
tenure, Abbas demanded control of police and several security agencies.
Officials said the United States has asked Abbas to maintain control
over the security services. They said Abbas was urged to revive the National
Security Council to ensure that Hamas does not obtain authority over
paramilitary and intelligence agencies. In 2005, Jibril Rajoub resigned from
the council.
But on Feb. 28, the PA chairman said he would transfer control of the
National Security Forces, civilian police and civil defense to any Hamas-led
government. The paramilitary National Security Forces, said to contain
25,000 troops, has been the largest single PA security agency.
The police and security agencies would come under the authority of the
Interior Ministry. Outgoing Interior Minister Nasser Yusef has been
appointed Abbas's adviser on security affairs.
Abbas also plans to deny Hamas control over the Preventive Security
Apparatus, regarded as the most powerful domestic security organization. PSA
chief Gen. Rashid Abu Shback has been appointed head of "internal security
in the West Bank and Gaza."
