Rajoub: PA To Fight Terror Only If IDF Pulls Back More

2005-09-12

Lamia Lahoud

The Jerusalem Post

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The Palestinian Authority will take all necessary steps to fight terror in Gaza provided Israel withdraws completely and gives hope there will be negotiations over a Palestinian state and more pullbacks from the West Bank, Palestinian National Security Adviser Jibril Rajoub told The Jerusalem Post.

But another PA official said Hamas was preparing to push the PA into civil war to gain control over Gaza and weaken the PA in the West Bank.

"The killing of Moussa Arafat was a clear sign that Hamas and other extremists want to create total chaos and push the PA into civil war," the PA source said. "We have information that those behind the attack were close to Hamas and know that they want to target other senior security chiefs."

While Hamas wants to participate politically, they will try to keep the conflict burning in the West Bank with extremists from Fatah and Islamic Jihad, the source added.

According to PA security sources, the killing of Moussa Arafat by members of the National Resistance Committee has exposed the weakness of the PA in the Gaza Strip, where chaos is spreading.

Rajoub does not believe the Gaza chaos will spread into the West Bank, although extremist factions have said they want to create their base there, where Israel is still holding on to settlements and is building the security fence.

"I do not believe that the chaos of Gaza can spread into the West Bank, because we have a different social setting and people are still better off in the West Bank than the poverty-stricken Gaza Strip," he argued.

He rejected the notion that it was now up to the PA to take steps against its extremists after Israel leaves. "The Israeli withdrawal is positive, but should not be praised and rewarded; after all, Israel did what it is supposed to do according to international legitimacy - end the occupation of Gaza," he said.

Rajoub defended Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas's decision not to confront Hamas and other militants in Gaza despite Arafat's murder, saying the PA could not enter such a confrontation unless the IDF was completely out of Gaza and talks about a West Bank withdrawal have begun.

"The PA and its Arab neighbors are ready to deal with extremists and anyone who wants to create chaos once there is hope of ending the occupation," he said. "What we need now is a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, including the seaport and the airport, free passage for Palestinians between Gaza and the West Bank and freedom of movement between Gaza and Egypt. The international community, for its part, should channel large sums into rehabilitating and developing Gaza." Palestinian officials said Israel and the PA had reached an agreement in principle on the Gaza seaport but needed to work out the details.

Rajoub said he did not believe that Hamas would push for a civil war, as most of Hamas has decided to run for Legislative Council elections and is trying to win influence politically. The last months have shown that PA dialogue with Hamas was helpful, he added.

"It is in everybody's interest that the model of Gaza will work ," Rajoub said. "Therefore we will do all - and the Arabs will take responsibility, too - to prevent anyone from destroying our historic chance of ending the occupation," Rajoub added.

Source: IMRA – Independent Media Review and Analysis