RAMALLAH, 27 April 2005 — President Mahmoud Abbas yesterday named Rashid Abu Shbak, the new commander for Palestinian internal security who helped lead a crackdown on militants in the 1990s. The appointment of Abu Shbak, considered a tough man, as head of preventive security, which is meant to monitor political groups and track down collaborators with Israel, further strengthens Abbas’ hands.
Security reforms are a step toward meeting US and Israeli demands for reform of security forces to strengthen prospects for peacemaking that have grown since Abbas was elected to replace the late Yasser Arafat in January. An Interior Ministry spokesman said the reforms would help security forces impose order. Palestinians complain of growing chaos — some linked to militant factions, some blamed on criminals.
“People will soon begin to feel tangible results,” said Tawfik Abu Khoussa. In a sign of challenges Abbas and Abu Shbak face, Palestinian fighters in the Gaza Strip fired two Qassam rockets into southern Israel yesterday. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks, which caused no casualties or damage.
The rocket fire strained a cease-fire Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon declared on Feb. 8. Major Palestinian factions agreed to a “period of calm” until the end of the year but some splinter groups said they were not bound by the deal.
Abu Shbak, a senior officer in the ruling Fatah movement once jailed by Israel, was previously the head of preventive security in Gaza. He was a deputy to local strongman Mohammad Dahlan in a 1996 crackdown on militants.
Israel has said Palestinians must dismantle armed groups if there is to be any progress on talks and Sharon has accused Abbas of failing to mount a “real fight against terrorism”.
— With input from agencies
