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Palestinian agencies declare war on rampant organized crime

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Friday, May 11, 2007

GAZA CITY — The Palestinian Authority has launched what it termed an anti-crime campaign in the Gaza Strip.

Officials said the effort was meant to battle organized crime, clan violence as well as drugs and weapons smuggling in the Gaza Strip. They said more than 1,000 police and security officers loyal to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas have been deployed around Gaza City, the focus of the campaign.

By May 13, officials said, an estimated 3,000 police officers would complete deployment throughout the Gaza Strip, Middle East Newsline reported. The police would be directed by a new Joint Operations Room.

"Lawlessness and chaos have become very dangerous in Gaza, and all the participants are determined to end the chaos and restore security," PA spokesman Ghazi Hamad said.

The police deployment failed to prevent fresh fighting in the war between Fatah and Hamas. On Friday, at least six people were injured in militia battles throughout the Gaza Strip, including a Hamas assault on a PA police checkpoint. Hamas also attacked the Fatah-aligned National Security Force headquarters in Gaza City.

The anti-crime campaign has been directed by Fatah-aligned security commanders and meant to focus on Gaza City and northern Gaza. Interior Minister Hani Al Qawasmeh, a Hamas member, said PA officers have exceeded their authority.

"The deployment of security forces to the streets of Gaza City is an effort on the part of the officers, and does not implement the security plan," Al Qawasmeh said.

Two weeks ago, Al Qawasmeh resigned to protest the refusal of Fatah-aligned security commanders to submit to his authority. Al Qawasmeh withdrew his resignation after Abbas and Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh agreed to expand the authority of the interior minister. Abbas was also said to have dismissed Gaza police commander Brig. Gen. Ali Hosni for incompetence.

Hamas said its Executive Force was not participating in the operation. The EF was said to comprise about 6,000 of the best-trained officers in the PA security agencies.

"The deployment of the security forces has come as a surprise and conducted without preferred cooperation with Palestinian factions, which could have supervised this plan to make it successful," Hamas said in a statement.

Palestinian critics said this was the latest of numerous security initiatives in the Gaza Strip that fizzled out within days. They said the key would be whether the police arrest members of Gaza's leading crime families, including those responsible for abductions.

Over the last few years, an arms industry has developed in the Gaza Strip. Assault rifles, pistols, grenades, ammunition and pipe bombs have been sold openly in Gaza City.

"The determination is there, and I think what we will see in the next 48 hours is a full deployment to deal with the lawlessness in the Gaza Strip," former PA minister Nabil Shaath, now an aide to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, said.


Copyright © 2007 East West Services, Inc.

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