Region | Palestinian Territories
Palestinian police face resistance
Hundreds of newly deployed Palestinian police on Tuesday clashed with fighters in this small town - a show of vigour by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' security forces but also a sign of the heavy challenges the Western-backed government faces in reining in gunmen.
- AP
- Published: 00:36 May 7, 2008
Qabatiyeh, West Bank: Hundreds of newly deployed Palestinian police on Tuesday clashed with fighters in this small town - a show of vigour by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' security forces but also a sign of the heavy challenges the Western-backed government faces in reining in gunmen.
Three people were wounded in exchanges of fire, one critically.
The fighting erupted during an attempt by Palestinian police to impose order in the Jenin district, including unruly Qabatiyeh, a militant stronghold. The police deployment is part of a security programme by Abbas' prime minister, Salam Fayyad, to methodically assert control in the West Bank in line with promises to Israel and the US.
Israel has repeatedly complained that Abbas is not moving fast enough against fighters - seen as a key condition for the success of current peace talks.
Hundreds of Palestinian police were sent to the Jenin district last week in the second stage of the plan.
Palestinian security forces took up positions in the West Bank city of Nablus several months ago.
Before dawn yesterday, Palestinian forces entered Qabatiyeh, a village of about 15,000 located some 10km south of the town of Jenin. Security commander Diab Ali said the policemen were attacked by local fighters, while a leader of the violent Islamic Jihad group said- police fired first.
Sporadic exchanges of fire continued throughout the morning, with gunmen firing from surrounding hills and police taking cover in shops and behind buildings.
In the morning, a 21-year-old university student was gravely wounded by a shot to the head, and was put on life support. During a subsequent stone-throwing protest, two people were shot in the legs by police, witnesses said.
With fighting persisting, most shops were closed and the streets deserted.
Jamal Zakout, a spokes-man for the prime minister, said the security forces would not back down. "We know that in this town, there are some who are accustomed to lawlessness and benefited from it," he said. "The government is determined to impose law and order, by force, in this town."
Abbas cannot afford to back down since his ability to assert control is seen as key to reaching a peace deal and to dispelling Israeli fears that he's too weak to implement a future agreement.
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