For years we have had debates about The Palestinians and the Israelis. Some of us suggested that Arafat actaully live up to his responsibilities under the roadmap and make efforts to control militants. Some Guppy apologists lamely excused his lack of effort by implying that his security forces were so depleted and fractious that doing anything was impossible.
Now along comes Abbas, (having won a miraculouly fast election that Arafat said could not be accomplished) and his authority is immediately challenged by Hamas and other agents of chaos. He responds by ordering over a thousand security personnel to prevent rockets from being fired. Seems like this solution was available to Arafat for years, but her prefered to play the wimpering victim. Praise God Abbas has some idea of what positive leadership can do!
Palestinian Security Forces Deploy in Gaza
By REUTERS
Published: January 21, 2005
GAZA (Reuters) - Palestinian security forces took up positions in northern Gaza on Friday under orders from President Mahmoud Abbas to curb attacks by militants on Israelis as part of his plan to end bloodshed and revive peacemaking.
The deployment, preceded by cease-fire talks between Abbas and militants and a sharp drop in violence in Gaza, was the clearest sign of renewed Israeli-Palestinian security cooperation in more than four years of fighting.
``Talks with Hamas are positive and are continuing,‘’ Abbas’s office said in a statement, referring to the powerful Islamic group that has set a string of conditions, including a cessation of all Israeli military activity in Gaza, for a truce.
Palestinian security sources said around 2,000 paramilitary police were assigned to border towns Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya and other parts of northern Gaza to prevent militants firing rockets and mortar bombs at Jewish settlements and Israel.
Reducing bloodshed is crucial to keeping alive peace hopes stirred by the Jan. 9 election of Abbas to succeed Yasser Arafat on a platform of ending fighting.
In a sign that Abbas’s efforts could be working, militants have not launched a rocket or mortar bomb in Gaza since Tuesday.
Any peace, however, will be extremely fragile in a densely populated area where a single explosion or clash could cause a chain reaction. Israel has put the Palestinians on notice that a resumption of strikes against settlements and towns would lead to a large-scale military operation in the territory.
``Our orders are clear: to control these areas and to stop attacks,‘’ said Ismail al-Dahdouh, a senior Palestinian officer, after briefing a group of 100 security personnel.
