The Palestinian officials said that within three weeks of launch, the PA's 100-day plan
has foundered. They said security commanders refused to crack down on crime
families as well as on Palestinian gangs responsible for a rash of abductions that have proved lucrative in the Gaza Strip.
"Some of the security commanders are Mafia bosses who don't want to see
an end to the anarchy," Palestinian Legislative Council member Mushir Al
Masri said.
On April 11, the PA announced a 100-day security plan to reform and
reorganize Palestinian security services. The plan was meant to crack down
on organized crime, arms and drug smuggling, unlicensed weapons, militia
parades, abduction and mosques that incite to violence.
Earlier this week, however, PA Interior Minister Hani Al Qawasmeh
withdrew his security plan, which had been endorsed by the PLC. Al Qawasmeh,
who submitted then agreed to withdraw his resignation, blamed lack of
cooperation by PA security agencies, particularly the Preventive Security
Apparatus, commanded by Brig. Gen. Rashid Abu Shback.
Officials said Fatah-aligned commanders have refused to launch
operations against
criminal organizations in the Gaza Strip, much of it headed by Palestinian
clans.
They said many of the security chiefs were connected to and benefited
from abduction and other criminal activity.
"This is because of the presence of Mafia leaders in the Palestinian
security forces," Al Masri said on April 25.
On Thursday, a Palestinian smuggler hurled a grenade toward Egyptian
police along the Sinai-Gaza border. Security sources said the Palestinian,
who was injured by shrapnel, had tried to smuggle an explosive belt into
Egypt.
The smuggler was identified as Abdul Shafi Jaber Maraheel and believed
to have entered the Sinai Peninsula from a tunnel that began in the southern
Gaza town of Rafah. Palestinian insurgency groups have sought to send
suicide bombers into Israel through the Sinai.
On Thursday, four Palestinian militias announced the formation of a
so-called Joint Operations Command to coordinate attacks against Israel. All
four were identified as factions of the Fatah movement headed by PA Chairman
Mahmoud Abbas -- Al-Aqsa Protectors, Missiles Brigade, Homeland Strike Force
and the Martyr Hassan Al Madhoun Brigade.
The factions warned of the use of Fatah women as suicide bombers to stop
any Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip.
"We will be human bombs and we will explode in the face of the
occupation," an unidentified Fatah woman told a news conference.
