Abbas Makes Sweeping Security Changes ["Distinguish Between Nationalists And Criminals"]

2005-04-03

State of Alert Declared in West Bank, Security Chiefs to Retire

Palestine Media Center - PMC [Official PA website]

www.palestine-pmc.com/ details.asp?cat=1&id=839

President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday placed the West Bank security services on a 'state of alert', deploying troops across the territory to curb security chaos, and decided to immediately enforce the military pension law, thus paving the way for sweeping changes in the leadership of the Palestinian security agencies.

Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rudaineh said on Thursday the Palestinian leader was expected to announce "significant changes" in the Palestine National Authority (PNA) in the coming days, following several incidents of security breaches.

"We will not allow anyone to take the law into their own hands and sabotage our situation," Abbas said.

In a meeting with about 50 intellectuals, religious leaders and business people on Saturday evening, Abbas said that gunmen had used the presidential compound in the West Bank city of Ramallah, known as the Mukataa, for more than four years "to commit crimes and to come back to it."

Abbas' remarks were broadcast on Palestinian national TV.

"I want to distinguish between nationalists and criminals," he said. "The security apparatus did not perform its duty, so it was crucial to take a stand," he added in his most blunt criticism yet of the Palestinian security forces.

Earlier on Saturday, Abbas repeated promises to "assure the security of the population and to end the disorder and chaos reigning in some of our streets," an official said.

The ruling Fatah movement would "not allow itself to let anarchy take over on the ground," the official quoted Abbas as saying.

Sweeping Security Changes

The ratification of the military pensions law would effectively force hundreds of security officers from Fatah's older guard into early retirement, a Palestinian official said.

Abbas issued a statement through the Palestinian news agency WAFA saying that he has decided to enforce the month-old law requiring security personnel to retire at the age 60.

Most of the long-time security chiefs are at least 60.

The PNA has reportedly 45,000 to 50,000 security forces on its payroll.

On Thursday also, the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) passed the 2005 budget of $2.2 billion, of which more than 26 percent will go to security.

"A special committee of officers was assigned to prepare a list of names of those who are subject to the pensions law," an official spokesman said, according to Al-Ayyam daily.

The law, which was ratified and became effective on March 28, will be enforced during this week, the spokesman added.

The decision was taken during a series of meetings with Prime Minister Ahmad Qurei (Abu Ala) and Interior Minister Nassr Yousef, who is in charge of the security forces.

On Saturday, Abbas accepted the resignation of West Bank security chief Haj Ismail Jaber, the official news agency WAFA reported.

However, he rejected the resignation of Head of Palestinian Intelligence in the West Bank Tawfik Tirawi.

Only 'Force 17' to Stay Inside Muqataa

In another move toward unifying the forces, Abbas ordered the relocation of all the police apparatus outside his Muqataa presidential compound in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

The order, effective immediately, will see the offices of the national security, military intelligence and police, among others, being re-housed on a large tract of land located about a kilometer away from the Muqataa, a Palestinian official who attended the security meetings told AFP.

Only the presidential guard, Force 17, will maintain a presence inside the compound.

Earlier, Abbas sacked Ramallah security chief Younis al-Has.

On Wednesday, at least 15 Palestinian gunmen fired at Abbas' West Bank HQ in Ramallah while he was in the compound then went on a shooting rampage throughout the city of Ramallah damaging several restaurants and forcing shops to close.

Abbas' bureau also announced the establishment of a committee to estimate the damage caused by the gunmen Wednesday to businesses and to compensate the owners.

The next day, a crowd of people burned down tents used as offices by Palestinian police in the northern West Bank town of Tulkarem after police shot and wounded three suspects on Thursday.

The PNA denounced the group for "sabotaging and jeopardizing security."

"Abu Mazen (Abbas) has no choice but to impose law and order to achieve security for Palestinian citizens as he promised in his (election) campaign," national security adviser Jibril Rajoub told AFP on Saturday.

"This can only be achieved by reviewing the security hierarchy, as well as conducting the necessary transfers among the leaders of the security organizations and activating the retirement law," Rajoub said.

Such moves were crucial to formulate "a professional productive security establishment which is able to meet its obligations on a regional, national and international level," he added.

State of Alert

Meanwhile, security forces began moving into the main West Bank cities late Saturday, despite the fact that Israel has only transferred security responsibility to Palestinian forces in Jericho and Tulkarem.

The move came just hours after a similar state of alert had been declared in Ramallah following an incident earlier this week.

The order was given at top-level meeting between Abbas and his security chiefs late Saturday.

Source: IMRA – Independent Media Review and Analysis