OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, 10 August — Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat said yesterday that US, Egyptian and Jordanian officials would oversee reforms to Palestinian security services. Arafat’s declaration came after overnight talks between his representatives and US officials in Washington. In the West Bank, a Palestinian was killed by Israeli tank fire.
Democratic reform and elections pledged by Arafat are seen as crucial to reviving talks with Israel on a Palestinian state after 22 months of an uprising against Israeli occupation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Three Cabinet ministers, US Secretary of State Colin Powell and White House National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice addressed Palestinian reforms in Washington on Thursday.
Arafat, in an interview with Arab satellite channel Al-Jazeera yesterday, described the talks as "positive and constructive" and said it was agreed foreign experts would help overhaul the Palestinian security apparatus.
"There is an agreement that Americans, Egyptians and Jordanians will come and administer the training of our security branches," said the Palestinian president, speaking in his West Bank compound ringed by Israeli tanks.
US officials have sidelined Arafat since President George W. Bush called in June for a new Palestinian leadership but agreed to receive ministers associated with mooted reforms.
As Palestinian ministers met senior US officials, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon branded the Arafat-led Palestinian Authority a "murderous gang". The Palestinians said Sharon’s broadside was an attempt to sabotage their first high-level talks with Washington for months.
"Sharon’s declarations are suitable to most Israeli officials who are war criminals and who must face international justice and be tried for the crimes they perpetrated against our people," Arafat’s adviser Nabil Abu Rudeina said. "These declarations hamper international efforts to come back to the political process," he added, while chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat was preparing to lead a high-ranking delegation into a second day of talks with US officials.
On Thursday, Powell said he was "pleased" with the talks, during which newly appointed Interior Minister Abdel Razaq Al-Yahya discussed reform of the Palestinian security apparatus.
Arafat told Qatar’s Al-Jazeera satellite television channel the talks "were positive and constructive and contained elements that will have good results on the political, economic and security levels."
The Palestinian delegation was also expected to discuss that issue with CIA chief George Tenet.
It was Arafat’s first public acceptance of foreign involvement in reforming the security apparatus. Asked if the program would start in the near future, Arafat said: "We hope so," but he gave no timetable for implementation.
Bloodshed resumed yesterday as Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian in the West Bank city of Tulkarm, witnesses said. Tulkarm is one of seven main West Bank cities under Israeli military closure and curfew since June.
Israeli forces in the West Bank city of Qalqilya detained Ibrahim Abdul Dahmas, described by the army as a senior activist of Hamas. The army said three other activists were seized.
Hamas said it would target Israeli leaders in response to the Jewish state’s tactic of killing senior Palestinian activists. Osama Hamdan, who heads Hamas in Lebanon, said Israel’s killing in recent weeks of two senior Hamas figures — one in an airstrike that left 14 others dead — meant Hamas’ military actions should expand beyond bombings in public places.
"From here on, targeting a leader, minister, or the head of the government of the Zionist entity will be treatment in kind, particularly since they are giving the orders (to kill Palestinians)," he said.
