Palestinian leaders have decided to implement a plan to restore law and order in the West Bank and Gaza.
| "Yeah! Knock it off, youse guyz!" |
It was the first major decision announced by the Palestinian leadership since Palestinian President Yasir Arafat was flown to hospital in Paris on 29 October. Officials on Sunday said the plan was drafted in March and is more focused on ending local lawlessness than reining in resistance fighters waging a four-year-old uprising.
Although the plan was approved months ago by various armed factions, no action has yet been taken. Cabinet minister Saib Uraiqat told reporters it would now take effect immediately. It calls for more security forces to be deployed and better coordination among them. It demands that fighters stop carrying arms unless confronting Israeli forces and says the police, rather than fighters, should deal with disturbances. Arafat and other officials often promised action on the security front, but little ever happened. Arafat complained that the Palestinian efforts to maintain order were sabotaged by Israel's destruction of their security forces during the uprising. |