"It's the most popular thing we do," Dayton said.
A key element was the enhancement of the National Security Forces, the
largest security unit in the PA. Officials said NSF would be transformed
into a so-called gendarmerie similar to the paramilitary force in France and
Italy.
"Although we work closely with the Presidential Guard even now, we have
focused on transforming the Palestinian National Security Forces into a
Palestinian gendarmerie — an organized police force or police units, as it
were — to reinforce the work being done by the civilian police advised by
the European Union," Dayton said.
[On May 21, PA and Israeli forces clashed during an Israeli military
operation in the West Bank city of Kalkilya. At least two Israeli soldiers
and a PA police officer were reported to have been injured.]
Officials said the security infrastructure program began in late 2007
and included the construction of a Presidential Guard college in Jericho as
well as a base for NSF outside the city. They said the next stage would be
the construction of bases in Jenin in cooperation with the Israel Army.
"We are also in the midst of rebuilding a major Palestinian police
gendarmerie training center, also in Jericho," Dayton said.
"Now, upon the return of these new men of Palestine, they have shown
motivation, discipline and professionalism, and they have made such a
difference — and I am not making this up — that senior IDF commanders ask
me frequently, 'How many more of these new Palestinians can you generate,
and how quickly, because they are our way to leave the West Bank," Dayton
said.
Officials said the United States intends to train another three NSF
battalions over the next year, depending on congressional funding. They said
the training would be accompanied by the construction of two operational
bases.
Dayton said the United States has sponsored training of senior
commanders. He said two classes have been graduated from an eight-week
course that focused on managment and coordination. Each class contained 36
students from the rank of major and above. He said the course would be
expanded to include mid-level officers.
