Palestinian Official Indicates Gaza To Be Center For All Terrorists After Retreat

2005-08-12

["Asked about the transport of Palestinian militants to the Gaza Strip after the Israeli pullout, Zaki said he hoped once Palestine is liberated, it would become a center for all good men, be they Arab or other."]

Palestinians restructure command in Lebanon

Mohammed Zaatari, Daily Star staff

www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp? edition_ID=1& article_ID=17572&categ_id=2

BEIRUT: Brigadier General Sultan Abu al-Aynayn, chief of the Fatah movement in Lebanon, has been promoted to Chief Palestinian Officer in Lebanon, making him the supreme authority over the country's Palestinian community. Abbas Zaki, a member of Fatah's central committee currently in Lebanon, has been tasked by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas with unifying Palestinian ranks in Lebanon and promoting Palestinian-Lebanese relations.

According to Zaki, the restructuring of Palestinian forces in Lebanon will see the number of command personnel reduced from 11 to 9.

Zaki announced the first batch of designations during a meeting at the Rashidieh refugee camp Wednesday. In addition to Abu al-Aynayn's appointment, Fathi al-Aradat was designated as mobilization and organization officer, Monzer Hamzeh as central finance officer, Rifaat Shanaa as central information officer, Abdel-Mula Rahil as administration officer, and Colonel Aqid Kheiri Abul-Hajj as military committee officer.

Palestinian sources in the South said a second batch of officers will be announced in the coming days, before Zaki's departure, suggesting the command's current members will remain.

These are: Khaled Aref who is expected to be given the post of public relations officer, Amina Jibril as the women federation's officer, and Abu Ahmad Naef as the Bekaa officer.

The sources revealed three officers, Mahmoud Assadi, Colonel Abu Ali Tanios, and Bilal Aslan, might be put at the disposal of Abu al-Aynayn.

According to circulated information, all military personnel will serve under the Battalion of the Shatila Martyrs, commanded by leading Palestinian Colonel Sobhi Abu Arab, with the possibility of designating Colonel Abu Walid Ashi as his deputy. Both officers are close to Brigadier General Abu al-Aynayn.

The sources also indicated that if Colonel Mounir Maqdah, the general supervisor of the Fatah militia, insists on resigning, an official decision to disband the militia will be made.

If Maqdah decides to stay, he will be made general supervisor of the Palestinian Armed Struggle or the Palestinian Popular Army.

On the fifth day of his of meetings with senior-level Lebanese politicians and religious leaders, Zaki reiterated the need for a dialogue that would serve the interests of both the Lebanese and Palestinian peoples.

After meeting with Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, Zaki said Siniora had ruled out the possibility of any settlement of Palestinians in Lebanon.

Zaki conveyed Siniora's willingness to settle all security, political and employment issues and expressed satisfaction with "the beginning of a new era in Lebanese-Palestinian relations."

The Palestinian official also met with Hizbullah's commander for the South, Sheikh Nabil Qaouk.

Asked about the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, Zaki said he hoped the initiative was a move toward the implementation of all international resolutions and the Arab peace initiative to establish a sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital city.

Commenting on the disarmament of Hizbullah, Zaki reiterated that if the United States seeks the implementation of international resolutions, it must first consider "The pile of resolutions related to restoring to the Palestinians their rights."

Addressing the issue of Palestinian labor in Lebanon, Zaki said that Palestinians do not wish to replace Lebanese workers, but want to be given priority over other foreign workers.

Also on Thursday, Zaki met with Sidon MP Bahia Hariri.

Discussions focused on preparations by Hariri and Sidon MP Osama Saad to hold the National Lebanese-Palestinian Conference in Sidon.

The conference is expected to tackle major issues of common concern among Lebanese and Palestinians in an attempt to address grievances on either side.

Asked about the unification of Palestinian ranks, the Palestinian official said discussions with members of the Palestinian Liberation Organization led to the scheduling of a meeting for all factions and the preparation of an action plan in case the Lebanese government decides to form a committee to solve issues related to the presence of Palestinians here.

Asked about the transport of Palestinian militants to the Gaza Strip after the Israeli pullout, Zaki said he hoped once Palestine is liberated, it would become a center for all good men, be they Arab or other.

Zaki also met with Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabbani, expressing his concern regarding "judaization" of holy shrines in Jerusalem. Zaki reiterated calls for establishing an authority for the purpose of representing the Palestinian diaspora.

Source: IMRA – Independent Media Review and Analysis