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Abbas moves to disarm 'fugitives'
President Mahmud Abbas has charged Palestinian officials with the task of disarming hundreds of militants wanted by Israel within two weeks, a Palestinian security source said on Sunday.
Abbas also named an interim national security chief to replace Haj Ismail, who resigned on Saturday after being asked to quit for failing to halt lawlessness, an official said.
Both steps were prompted by Thursday's rampage by Palestinian gunmen, who fired at Abbas' compound in the West Bank town of Ram Allah in protest at a request by the Palestinian Authority that they lay down their arms.
Abbas is struggling to reform corruption-tainted security forces and impose order after declaring a truce with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in February.
Israel's wanted list
The security source told Reuters that Abbas had issued a decree giving committees of officials in Gaza and the West Bank two weeks "to resolve the issue of the fugitives" - about 530 militants on Israel's wanted list for attacking Israelis.
Under the decree, the wanted men would voluntarily disarm and then be recruited as officials in the Palestinian government, the source said.
Once disarmed, Israel would no longer pursue these fugitives, added the source, reflecting a deal Abbas had reached with Sharon as part of the ceasefire they declared on Feb. 8.
Abbas, elected two months ago to succeed Yasser Arafat, has preferred to end 4 1/2 years of conflict through dialogue rather than force, a tactic that helped him win a deal last month with militants to cement the truce with Israel.
But some militants have continued to resist Abbas' efforts to streamline security in the Palestinian territories.
Security head named
Thursday's rampage outside the Ram Allah office followed the expulsion from Abbas' compound of more than 20 gunmen who had once sought refuge there.
The Palestinian leader moved to restore order on Sunday by naming Nidal el-Assuri, a veteran security agent, as an interim head of national security in the West Bank, a day after the former commander had quit over the Ram Allah incident.
Separately, the West Bank intelligence chief, Tawfiq Tirawi, withdrew his resignation over the shootings, at Abbas' behest.
"You know there is a need to maintain the rule of law," Palestinian officials quoted Abbas as telling Tirawi on Sunday.
"This phase requires tremendous efforts, and I have full trust and faith in you."
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/3FA4D963-394B-4556-AF2F-05C4F3B83790.htm
Both steps were prompted by Thursday's rampage by Palestinian gunmen, who fired at Abbas' compound in the West Bank town of Ram Allah in protest at a request by the Palestinian Authority that they lay down their arms.
Abbas is struggling to reform corruption-tainted security forces and impose order after declaring a truce with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in February.
Israel's wanted list
The security source told Reuters that Abbas had issued a decree giving committees of officials in Gaza and the West Bank two weeks "to resolve the issue of the fugitives" - about 530 militants on Israel's wanted list for attacking Israelis.
Under the decree, the wanted men would voluntarily disarm and then be recruited as officials in the Palestinian government, the source said.
Once disarmed, Israel would no longer pursue these fugitives, added the source, reflecting a deal Abbas had reached with Sharon as part of the ceasefire they declared on Feb. 8.
Abbas, elected two months ago to succeed Yasser Arafat, has preferred to end 4 1/2 years of conflict through dialogue rather than force, a tactic that helped him win a deal last month with militants to cement the truce with Israel.
But some militants have continued to resist Abbas' efforts to streamline security in the Palestinian territories.
Security head named
Thursday's rampage outside the Ram Allah office followed the expulsion from Abbas' compound of more than 20 gunmen who had once sought refuge there.
The Palestinian leader moved to restore order on Sunday by naming Nidal el-Assuri, a veteran security agent, as an interim head of national security in the West Bank, a day after the former commander had quit over the Ram Allah incident.
Separately, the West Bank intelligence chief, Tawfiq Tirawi, withdrew his resignation over the shootings, at Abbas' behest.
"You know there is a need to maintain the rule of law," Palestinian officials quoted Abbas as telling Tirawi on Sunday.
"This phase requires tremendous efforts, and I have full trust and faith in you."
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/3FA4D963-394B-4556-AF2F-05C4F3B83790.htm
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He told Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA) that Israeli officials called him Monday morning to inform him that Israel had formulated a draft agreement, which was being sent to the Palestinian Authority (PA) for reviewing.
“Once we get guarantees from Israel that the wanted will not be fugitives any more, then we have solved 95 per cent of the issue,” said Hamayel, who is also member of the Palestinian parliament.
He described this Israeli step as “encouraging and positive”.
Once removed from Israel’s wanted list, the militants would be incorporated into the Palestinian security units, he said.
Hamayel held several rounds of talks in the last two months with Israeli officials, which, he said, resulted in an agreement in principle for Israel to end its pursuit of the wanted Palestinians.
He said there are about 500 militants in the West Bank on Israel’s wanted list who were involved in anti-Israel activities in the last four years.
Abbas formed two committees to resolve the issue of wanted Palestinians, one in the West Bank and another in Gaza.
Hamayel said the committee will meet with Abbas again in the next two days to propose ideas for disarming and incorporating the fugitives into the PA forces.