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Abbas orders palestinian security forces consolidated { April 15 2005 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1113564617259790.xml http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1113564617259790.xml Abbas orders Palestinian security forces consolidated Friday, April 15, 2005 Mohammed Daraghmeh Associated Press Ramallah, West Bank - Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday ordered the consolidation of competing security forces under a unified command - a step toward meeting a key U.S. and Israeli demand and ending chaos in the Palestinian territories. The move came as Israeli settlers agreed to negotiate with the government over a planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip this summer - a sharp turnaround that could ease the way for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's top policy initiative. In the West Bank, Israeli troops shot and killed a Palestinian militant. Abbas charged that the killing was a violation of a cease-fire in place since February, according to the Palestinian news agency. More than a dozen Palestinian security organizations have long operated as independent militias, contributing to rising lawlessness in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and limiting their effectiveness. Israel and the United States have demanded that the forces be streamlined and directed toward halting violence as a condition for renewing peace negotiations. The timing of Abbas' move may be linked to his upcoming trip to the United States, which has been pressing him to rein in militants. Information Minister Nabil Shaath said this week Abbas wants his Washington talks to concentrate on Palestinian demands, not those of the United States and Israel. The consolidation order follows efforts to co- opt militants into security forces and dismissal of longtime Gaza and West Bank commanders, steps that should win praise from Washington. Abbas gave the order to combine the forces into three branches under the authority of the National Security Forces, the Interior Ministry and the General Intelligence Agency, according to an official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The order expands the responsibilities of Interior Minister Nasser Yousef, who continues to oversee his ministry as well as the National Security forces. Sharon is counting on Pales tinian forces to take control of Gaza after Israel's pullout in July. Israel's concern is that without restructuring of the Palestinian police, the resulting chaos could play into the hands of the violent Islamic Hamas. Settlers have been threatening to resist evacuation from the 21 Gaza and four West Bank settlements, but there are increasing signs that the opposition might be much more limited than security officials have predicted. © 2005 The Plain Dealer. Used with permission.

Abbas fires top security chiefs Abbas orders palestinian security forces consolidated { April 15 2005 } New palestinian government control militants { April 30 2003 } Palestinians meet cabinet crisis { April 22 2003 } Powell wont see arafat Supports new leaders { June 24 2002 } Us presses eu reduce arafat ties { April 26 2003 } Files Listed: 7

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