Israel authorizes transfer of 1,000 rifles to PA forces
By Avi Issacharoff and Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondents Last update -
07:16 26/07/2007
www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/886542.html

Israel authorized the transfer of 1,000 rifles from Jordan to the security
forces of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, Israeli and
Palestinian security sources confirmed to Haaretz Wednesday night.

This is the largest arms transfer authorized in recent years, and it is
meant to aid forces loyal to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas in
preventing the possibility of a Hamas challenge and possible takeover
similar to that of the Gaza Strip.

The weapons were delivered to the PA security forces three weeks ago
following Israeli authorization.

The transfer of the M-16s was kept under strict confidence on both sides, in
an effort to prevent any possible leak that could undermine Abbas' standing.

Earlier this year, several thousand rifles were delivered to Fatah forces in
the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, but most of those arms came under Hamas'
control following its takeover.

The Palestinian security forces loyal to Abbas continued their operations
against a Hamas presence in the West Bank Wenesday. According to Palestinian
reports, a cache of arms was uncovered in the home of a Hamas activist in
Tul Karm. The same sources linked the weapons cache with reported Hamas
efforts to establish an Executive Force base in West Bank. The Executive
Force was instrumental in the Hamas seizure of power in Gaza.

Meanwhile, Israel and the Palestinian Authority completed on Wednesday
preparing for renewed coordination in civil administration functions between
the two sides during a short ceremony in Qalqilyah. Over the past two weeks,
work resumed in all the West Bank cities, after ties between Israel and the
PA were severed following the Hamas victory in the January 2006 Palestinian
elections. The swearing-in of Prime Minister Salam Fayad's government gave
the green light for a resumption of cooperation on the civil and security
levels.

On the Palestinian side, Abbas appointed Hussein al-Sheikh to run the Civil
Affairs Administration, responsible for coordination with Israel in both the
Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Al-Sheikh is a former leader of the Tanzim, a
Fatah militia.

"In order to build confidence with the other side, you must deal with
routine things," al-Sheikh said.

He believes that the small gestures will build the confidence necessary for
bigger things.

"The political issue between Israel and the PA is one thing. But for
successful negotiations you require trust. In order to build trust with the
other side, you need to deal with day-to-day matters."

The Coordination and Liaison offices deal with routine civil matters in the
PA: entry permits into Israel, Palestinians who need medical treatment in
Israel, water, electricity, management of crossings, etc.

Al-Sheikh's counterpart in Israel is Brigadier General Yoav Mordechai, head
of the Civil Administration in the West Bank.

Mordechai and Al-Sheikh coordinated the liberation "party" for the
Palestinians released from prison last Friday. The 250 prisoners were taken
to the Bitunia crossing and Palestinian buses drove them to the Muqata'a,
where they were met by Abbas for a complete media celebration.

Al-Sheikh's cellular phone rings constantly, and each time, he mentions the
name of the Israeli officer on the other end of the line. The conversations
are in fluent Hebrew, of course, part of his education during his many years
at the "university" - Israeli prison.

Six years ago, al-Sheikh was considered one of the leading figures in the
Al-Aqsa Intifada. He was identified as the leader of the rival camp to
Marwan Barghouti, who challenged him for the leadership of the Al-Aqsa
Martyrs' Brigades. During Operation Defensive Shield, in 2002, he hid in
Ramallah, concerned that he would become a target of Israel's security
forces.

Now, in a shiny suit, a fashionable shirt and well-combed hair, al-Sheikh
sits in his fancy office, light years from the start of the intifada, when
he considered IDF officers a legitimate target. Now, the Israeli officers
have become his partners.

"We are now working on a solution to the problem of the Rafah crossing,"
al-Sheikh told Haaretz, "but there is no official Palestinian side in Rafah.
We agree on the opening of the Kerem Shalom crossing, as Israel is
recommending, in order to alleviate the suffering of those being held up in
their travels. Egypt has still not responded to our recommendations to open
Kerem Shalom or Nitzna, so that thousands of Palestinians can cross into
Rafah."

"Another problem we are dealing with at this moment," al-Sheikh adds, "are
hundreds of students who need to leave the Gaza Strip for their education."

He stresses that his staff, who are operating the crossing points in the
Gaza Strip, are PA civil servants, not Fatah civil servants.

"My people are on the Palestinian side of the Erez crossing, and with the
assistance of the Red Cross, ensure that the sick are allowed to leave for
treatment in Israel. This is also the case at Sufa and Kerem Shalom
crossings, where humanitarian aid goes through to Gaza," he said.

Asked whether he coordinated his activities with Hamas, his response is
clear: "Hamas does not interest me. I will not coordinate a thing with them.
I made it clear to the Red Cross, that my staff at Erez crossing will not
accept orders from Hamas. What the Red Cross does is its own affairs.
Private Palestinian firms handle the goods at the crossings, and they have
no links with Hamas."

He does not hide his hatred for Hamas, whom he described as "gangs of
criminals" whom he charges with torturing Fatah men in Gaza in the name of
Islam and "banning the Palestinian flag."

He says that since the renewal of cooperation, Israel has granted 19,000
entry permits to West Bank traders.