GAZA, April 25 (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ordered new security chiefs on Monday to halt growing chaos two days after he pushed aside top officers in Yasser Arafat's old guard, officials said. The security shake-up brought Abbas closer to meeting Israeli and U.S. demands for reforming corruption-plagued security forces, also criticised by ordinary Palestinians for failing to maintain law and order.
"I cannot say that we have accomplished safety, security and reform for our people so far. But we have begun an important process," Abbas told reporters before meeting the chiefs in the Gaza Strip. Interior Ministry spokesman Tawfik Abu Khoussa said Abbas asked the new heads of police, national security and military intelligence to restructure their forces and halt growing chaos in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Abbas forced out hundreds of security men on Saturday under a new law requiring security personnel to retire at 60. | Out with the old thugs, in with the new thugs |
Reforms of Palestinian security forces are widely seen as crucial to peacemaking hopes that have been lifted since Abbas replaced the late Arafat in January and went on to agree a ceasefire with Israel. "We hope the Palestinians will fulfill their commitments to implement security reforms and to disarm terrorist groups," said Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev. | "We ain't holding our breath." |
Although the new security chiefs were told to crack down on illegal arms, Abu Khoussa said it did not include those held by militant groups which are following a de facto truce. Palestinians demand reforms of security forces that are widely seen as ineffective and often corrupt. Gunmen from a faction in Abbas's ruling Fatah movement went on a rampage in the West Bank city of Ramallah last month and more recently took over a government building in Jenin. In Gaza, residents complain of a series of unsolved murder cases.
But in a sign of internal discontent over Abbas's changes among the Fatah movement's old guard, several senior officers on the retirement list refused to collect awards for their long service. "We all reject these medals," one retiring officer said, complaining the shake-up had been dictated from abroad. "We will continue to serve our people and our cause." Abbas played down the incident, saying the ceremony was delayed because some of the officers were out of town. |