Arafat to Consolidate His Security Forces

[drdon326]

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat agreed Saturday to consolidate his security forces into three branches, a key international demand for reform, a top aide said.

Arafat also replaced the national police chief, who was one of six Palestinians and foreigners briefly abducted in a wave of kidnappings a day earlier, and named two new top officials in a shake-up of his security machine, said the aide, Nabil Abu Rdeneh.

The Palestinian leader appointed his cousin Mousa Arafat al-Qidwe, 64, as the new security chief for the Palestinian territories.

The announcements came after Arafat met his prime minister, Ahmed Qureia, and shortly before Qureia summoned the Palestinian Cabinet for an urgent meeting on the security crisis in the Gaza Strip.

Hours earlier, Arafat's National Security Council declared a state of emergency and sent troops to protect government buildings and officials from militant factions.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A57172-2004Jul17.html

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take my word for it......'