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| By: Israel Insider staff and partners |
| Published: April 29, 2005 |
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Israel has rejected a proposal by the United States to supply the Palestinian police officers in the West Bank with weapons that would assist them in performing their duties.
American officials have told their Israeli interlocutors over the past few days that the Palestinian security forces need weapons to help them maintain order in the territories. In response, the U.S. officials heard a negative reply from Israeli officials: "Let them first take the weapons from the terrorists."
The Americans are assisting in training the Palestinian security forces, and are also interested in supplying them with appropriate materiel.
At the same time, Israel has also rejected plans by Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas to absorb wanted Palestinians -- and their weapons -- into the PA's security forces.
What troubled Israel was Abbas' decision not to disarm the wanted men but to allow them to be recruited into the PA's security mechanisms along with their personal weapons; in other words, the weapons wouldn't be seized but "laundered" thanks to the new jobs they would receive.
Israel informed the PA that it is opposed to an arrangement under which individuals who were involved in terror in the past would be able to maintain possession of their arms and also get paid to do so.
Full Story: |
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Israel rejects U.S. request to arm Palestinian police
- (Aluf Benn)
04.29.2005
Sharon nixes Abbas plan on militants' arms
- (Ze'ev Schiff)
04.29.2005
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