Military

DATE=4/2/2005

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=PALESTINIANS/SECURITY (L-Only)

NUMBER=2-323675

BYLINE=ROBERT BERGER

DATELINE=JERUSALEM

CONTENT=

HEADLINE: Palestinian Leader Shakes Up Security Forces Amid Growing Lawlessness

INTRO: The Palestinian leader is shaking up his security forces, after they failed to stem a new wave of armed chaos in the West Bank. Robert Berger reports from VOA's Jerusalem Bureau on the turmoil in the Palestinian Authority.

TEXT: Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has accepted the resignation of his top West Bank security chief, in response to growing lawlessness by Palestinian militants.

Mr. Abbas ordered the arrest of a group of gunmen, who opened fire on his compound in the West Bank town of Ramallah earlier this week, and then went on a rampage, damaging local businesses. The gunmen were members of the Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades, a militant group linked to the ruling Fatah movement led by Abbas.

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia said armed chaos will not be tolerated.

/// QUREIA ACT ///

"And we call on everybody to be committed to the law, to the rule of law."

/// END ACT ///

But Palestinian commanders failed to arrest the militants, fearing that they and their men would become targets for gunmen seeking revenge. Mr. Abbas was reportedly furious, and apparently plans a sweeping shakeup of the security command.

Israel says Mr. Abbas made a serious mistake by negotiating a truce with militant groups, instead of cracking down on them. Israeli parliamentarian Yuval Steinitz says the internationally-backed "road map" peace plan is clear about what Mr. Abbas must do.

/// STEINITZ ACT ///

"To uproot, to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure, to disarm all the illegal organizations."

/// END ACT ///

Mr. Abbas is reluctant to do that, because he fears it could lead to a Palestinian civil war. (SIGNED)

NEB/RB/TW