Israel will let Abbas obtain arms

Occupied Jerusalem/Gaza: Israeli officials said yesterday they will permit Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is locked in a power struggle with the rival Hamas movement, to obtain arms to beef up his presidential guard.

Amos Gilad, a top Defence Ministry official, said Israel is not providing the weapons. Instead, they will come from a third country.

Gilad told Israel Radio the weapons are meant to allow Abbas to preserve order in the chaotic West Bank and Gaza Strip.

"I can't tell you the exact amount of weapons, but it is a limited amount intended for the purpose of securing Abbas' ability to protect himself on the backdrop of the important decisions he makes," he said, dismissing reports that the decision was made because of threats to Abbas' life by fighters.

"I'm not saying the chairman's life is in danger," he said. "This is a wide policy intended to allow him to cope with those who are disrupting order and turning the Palestinian National Authority into a violent entity," he said.

Over the past week, 10 people have been killed in clashes in the Gaza Strip between Abbas' Fatah movement and the Hamas group. On Thursday, Abbas gave Hamas, which controls the Palestinian government, 10 days to accept the idea of a Palestinian state alongside Israel or he will call a referendum on the matter.

Yuval Steinitz, a lawmaker in the hard-line Likud Party, harshly criticised the arms deal, saying the weapons could end up in the wrong hands.

Three women from the US, Sweden and Germany were lightly hurt yesterday in a protest against Israel's wall with the West Bank when Israeli soldiers fired steel-coated rubber bullets and tear gas, witnesses said.

Israeli shelling yesterday into northern Gaza killed three Palestinian men inside their home, Palestinian medics said, hours after the Israeli army killed a Palestinian farmer near the area.

The Israeli army said it was checking the report of the latest shelling. A spokeswoman said earlier about the first attack that troops had fired into areas from which Palestinian militants had launched rockets into Israel. Five more Palestinians were wounded in the latest shelling, medics said.

New crisis: What next after Abbas ultimatum?

President Mahmoud Abbas has given an ultimatum to the Hamas-led government to back a proposal for a Palestinian state that would implicitly recognise Israel or face a referendum. Below are answers to some questions on the crisis:

What is his objective?

Abbas wants Hamas to recognise Israel and agree to a negotiated two-state solution to end crippling financial sanctions. Some in his Fatah movement, defeated by Hamas in January elections, want to topple the new administration. Having failed to persuade Hamas to change, Abbas seeks to force its hand through the referendum. Abbas believes it would be hard for Hamas to reject a referendum in favour of the proposal. While Abbas can sack the government, he would be reluctant to do so unless Palestinians had formally rejected Hamas's political platform first.

What options does Hamas have?

The government rejects the proposal, drawn up by Hamas and Fatah prisoners jailed in Israel, and seeks to mobilise the public against it. Under this scenario, Hamas would not take part in the referendum.

The government could accept the proposal while Hamas as a movement rejects it. This might mean no referendum, possibly allowing Abbas to say he has moderated Hamas while the group itself rejects any suggestion it has changed.

To try to pre-empt Abbas, Hamas could call on the president to step down. But calling a new presidential election would mean changing the Palestinian basic law, which functions as a constitution, and this requires approval of two thirds of parliament. Hamas does not have that.

What would a referendum favouring Abbas mean?

It could be considered a vote of no confidence in the government. Abbas might then argue the Palestinian financial crisis had reached the point where new leadership was needed and fire the government.

- Reuters