PA To Integrate Al Aksa Brigades Members Into The PA Security Forces

2005-10-23

[IMRA: No. This isn't a bad joke. President Bush and Secretary Rice will no doubt praise the Palestinians for integrating a major terrorist group in the Palestinain security forces. They can even have a ceremony - filming the first half (where they hand over their illegal assault rifles) for Western consumption and the second half (where they are armed with legal asault rifles) for local consumption.]

PA plans to disarm Al Aksa Brigades

Associated Press, The Jerusalem Post

www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite? cid=1129540587489& pagename=JPost%2FJP Article%2FShowFull

The Palestinians plan to begin disarming a major terrorist group in the coming weeks by setting up training camps and incorporating its members into the Palestinian security forces, officials said Sunday.

Dismantling the Al Aksa Martyrs' Brigades, a violent group linked to the ruling Fatah party, which is in the midst of a power struggle, would mark a significant step toward restoring law and order in the chaotic West Bank.

But previous attempts by Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to control terrorists have had little success, and it was unclear whether the latest effort would work.

Abbas is under Israeli and international pressure to disarm terrorist groups, which have killed hundreds of Israelis in the past five years. Abbas refuses to confront the groups, fearing civil war, and instead has sought to co-opt the gunmen with promises of jobs and political participation.

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei announced the new plan after a meeting of his top security chiefs Sunday.

"We have agreed today to establish five new camps for training and hosting 'stragglers,"' he said, referring to the Al Aksa members. He said the disarmament efforts would begin in the Palestinian cities of Ramallah and Nablus, and then move into other areas.

Palestinian Interior Minister Nasser Yousef, the top Palestinian security commander, said the camps would be operational "within weeks."

Al Aksa spokesmen in the West Bank and Gaza Strip said they were confident the movement would join the new plan. "In principle there are no problems," said Abu Ahmed, an Al Aksa official in Gaza.

Israeli officials received the announcement with skepticism. "There have been a lot of declarations before. The most important thing is to see what kind of action we have," said Dore Gold, an adviser to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Although Al Aksa is linked to Fatah, its thousands of members have fragmented loyalties, and it is unclear whether terrorists would agree to give up their autonomy. The disarmament plan also does not affect Hamas, which has thousands of gunmen and has rejected Abbas' calls to lay down its weapons.

With Palestinian security forces weakened by years of fighting with Israel, armed groups operate with virtual impunity in the Palestinian areas. The chaos has only heightened since Israel withdrew from Gaza last month, as gunmen vie for power in the wake of the pullout.

Qurei said his security chiefs will next week visit Nablus, one of the most volatile West Bank cities, to evaluate the security situation there and provide the government with its recommendations.

Source: IMRA – Independent Media Review and Analysis