["Asked about the transport of Palestinian militants to the Gaza Strip after
the Israeli pullout, Zaki said he hoped once Palestine is liberated, it
would become a center for all good men, be they Arab or other."]

Palestinians restructure command in Lebanon
By Mohammed Zaatari
Daily Star staff
Friday, August 12, 2005
www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_ID=1&article_ID=17572&categ_id=2

BEIRUT: Brigadier General Sultan Abu al-Aynayn, chief of the Fatah movement
in Lebanon, has been promoted to Chief Palestinian Officer in Lebanon,
making him the supreme authority over the country's Palestinian community.
Abbas Zaki, a member of Fatah's central committee currently in Lebanon, has
been tasked by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas with unifying
Palestinian ranks in Lebanon and promoting Palestinian-Lebanese relations.

According to Zaki, the restructuring of Palestinian forces in Lebanon will
see the number of command personnel reduced from 11 to 9.

Zaki announced the first batch of designations during a meeting at the
Rashidieh refugee camp Wednesday. In addition to Abu al-Aynayn's
appointment, Fathi al-Aradat was designated as mobilization and organization
officer, Monzer Hamzeh as central finance officer, Rifaat Shanaa as central
information officer, Abdel-Mula Rahil as administration officer, and Colonel
Aqid Kheiri Abul-Hajj as military committee officer.

Palestinian sources in the South said a second batch of officers will be
announced in the coming days, before Zaki's departure, suggesting the
command's current members will remain.

These are: Khaled Aref who is expected to be given the post of public
relations officer, Amina Jibril as the women federation's officer, and Abu
Ahmad Naef as the Bekaa officer.

The sources revealed three officers, Mahmoud Assadi, Colonel Abu Ali Tanios,
and Bilal Aslan, might be put at the disposal of Abu al-Aynayn.

According to circulated information, all military personnel will serve under
the Battalion of the Shatila Martyrs, commanded by leading Palestinian
Colonel Sobhi Abu Arab, with the possibility of designating Colonel Abu
Walid Ashi as his deputy. Both officers are close to Brigadier General Abu
al-Aynayn.

The sources also indicated that if Colonel Mounir Maqdah, the general
supervisor of the Fatah militia, insists on resigning, an official decision
to disband the militia will be made.

If Maqdah decides to stay, he will be made general supervisor of the
Palestinian Armed Struggle or the Palestinian Popular Army.

On the fifth day of his of meetings with senior-level Lebanese politicians
and religious leaders, Zaki reiterated the need for a dialogue that would
serve the interests of both the Lebanese and Palestinian peoples.

After meeting with Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, Zaki said Siniora had ruled
out the possibility of any settlement of Palestinians in Lebanon.

Zaki conveyed Siniora's willingness to settle all security, political and
employment issues and expressed satisfaction with "the beginning of a new
era in Lebanese-Palestinian relations."

The Palestinian official also met with Hizbullah's commander for the South,
Sheikh Nabil Qaouk.

Asked about the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, Zaki said
he hoped the initiative was a move toward the
implementation of all international resolutions and the Arab peace
initiative to establish a sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its
capital city.

Commenting on the disarmament of Hizbullah, Zaki reiterated that if the
United States seeks the implementation of international resolutions, it must
first consider "The pile of resolutions related to restoring to the
Palestinians their rights."

Addressing the issue of Palestinian labor in Lebanon, Zaki said that
Palestinians do not wish to replace Lebanese workers, but want to be given
priority over other foreign workers.

Also on Thursday, Zaki met with Sidon MP Bahia Hariri.

Discussions focused on preparations by Hariri and Sidon MP Osama Saad to
hold the National Lebanese-Palestinian Conference in Sidon.

The conference is expected to tackle major issues of common concern among
Lebanese and Palestinians in an attempt to address grievances on either
side.

Asked about the unification of Palestinian ranks, the Palestinian official
said discussions with members of the Palestinian Liberation Organization led
to the scheduling of a meeting for all factions and the preparation of an
action plan in case the Lebanese government decides to form a committee to
solve issues related to the presence of Palestinians here.

Asked about the transport of Palestinian militants to the Gaza Strip after
the Israeli pullout, Zaki said he hoped once Palestine is liberated, it
would become a center for all good men, be they Arab or other.

Zaki also met with Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabbani, expressing
his concern regarding "judaization" of holy shrines in Jerusalem. Zaki
reiterated calls for establishing an authority for the purpose of
representing the Palestinian diaspora.