RAMALLAH — The Hamas-led Palestinian government plans to rapidly increase
its new security force to the West Bank in a direct challenge to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
Officials said the Palestinian Authority would begin recruitment for its
new Executive Force in the West Bank to protect the Hamas-controlled legislature and other government
ministries targeted by Fatah in Ramallah.
"We will increase their numbers over and over, and they will spread
through the West Bank so the parliament building is not attacked again,"
PA Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar said.
Abbas responded quickly to Hamas plans. He ordered
PA forces loyal to him to prevent the establishment of the Executive Force
in the West Bank.
The United States is backing an expansion of security forces loyal to Abbas and Iran is helping fund Hamas in its drive to take full control of the Palestinian Authority.
The Executive Force was established in May 2006 in the Gaza Strip. The
force contains more than 6,000 fighters and has been used largely against
the Fatah militia.
On Oct. 22, Hamas was accused of killing a Fatah commander in the Gaza
Strip. Mohammed Shahadeh, commander of Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in the
Bureij camp, was shot dead by masked gunmen. Shahadeh also served in the PA
Preventive Security Apparatus.
In the West Bank, Fatah, however, maintains a much larger force than
Hamas. Officials said the Executive Force would help the Hamas-led
government protect its interests in that area as well.
In the first stage, officials said, the Executive Force would recruit
1,500 members in the Ramallah area. They said the Interior Ministry agency
would later expand to Hebron and Nablus.
On Oct. 20, Abbas appointed Brig. Gen. Haj Ismail Jabber as head of PA
security forces in the West Bank. Abbas retired Jabber in 2005 in an attempt
at security reform.
Officials said Jabber, who had been accused of corruption under the
administration of the late Yasser Arafat, would command all but three
branches aligned to the Hamas-run Interior Ministry. They said this would
include the Executive Force.
Abbas has also ordered the deployment of more than 20,000 troops
throughout the Gaza Strip. The order was said to enable the PA chairman to
face Hamas military might in the area.
