Ramallah
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has banned all armed militias
operating in the Palestinian areas, "regardless of their
affiliation."
The new decree issued Tuesday said: "the armed militias and the
irregular military or paramilitary formations are forbidden from
carrying out any clandestine or public activities, and anyone
assisting them will be subject to legal inquiry."
Last week, Abbas issued a decree banning the militias of the Islamic
Hamas, which overran his security forces in the Gaza Strip and
assumed full control over the enclave nearly two weeks ago.
The Palestinian president called on his newly formed emergency
government "to end the phenomena of armed groups" and to "ban and
confiscate all weapons, ammunition, explosives and other unlicensed
combat material as well as any material that poses danger to public
order."
Abbas published the decree after returning to Ramallah from the
four-way summit at the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm al-Sheikh,
also attended by Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert, Egyptian President
Husni Mubarak and Jordan's King Abdullah.
The decree, signed by Abbas as chief commander of the Palestinian
forces, is seen to be aimed mainly at Fatah's military arm, al-Aqsa
Martyrs Brigades, and the al-Quds brigades, the military wing of the
radical Islamic Jihad, the two main militias still operating against
Israeli targets in the West Bank, as well as other militias in the
Gaza Strip.
In the Monday summit, Abbas reiterated his pledge of renouncing
violence and terrorism, stressing that his goal is to reach a final
peace settlement through negotiations with Israel.
Members of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades have said they are not ready
to drop their arms until Israel stops pursuing them and they receive
assurances for their personal safety.
Israel so far has not said it will stop pursing armed Palestinians
on its wanted list but that it will discuss this matter through a
joint Palestinian-Israeli committee.
Boloji.com is owned and managed by Boloji Media Inc Privacy Policy |
Disclaimer
No part of this Internet site may
be reproduced without prior written permission of the copyright holder.
