RAMALLAH, West Bank, 7 January 2007 — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas yesterday declared Hamas’ paramilitary militia in the Gaza Strip illegal, raising the stakes in the increasingly violent standoff between his Fatah party and the rival movement.
Hamas condemned Abbas’ statement, accusing him of giving a “green light” for attacks against its men and pledging to double the strength of its militia.
Abbas issued the decree two days after members of the Hamas force attacked the home of a senior security commander in Gaza, killing the man and seven of his bodyguards. The man led a unit that is loyal to Abbas’ Fatah party.
“In the light of continued security chaos and assassinations that killed a number of our fighters... and in the light of the failure of existing agencies and security apparatuses in imposing law and order and protecting the security of the citizens, President Mahmoud Abbas decided to reshuffle the security forces and its leadership and to consider the (Hamas) Executive Force, officers and members, illegal and outside the law,” Abbas’ office said in a statement.
Interior Minister Said Siyam of Hamas formed the so-called Executive Force last year, claiming he had no control over the existing forces, who remain loyal to Abbas, and needed security men who would carry out his orders. The unit has an estimated 6,000 members in Gaza.
Interior Ministry spokesman Khaled Abu Hilal said Abbas’ decree cleared the way for new attacks on Hamas men.
He said the unit’s strength would be doubled to 12,000 members. Abu Hilal said Interior Minister Siyam made the decision “in view of the ongoing security deterioration.”
