GAZA (PIC)– The PA interior ministry has decided to double the number of the executive force from an estimated 5000 to 12000 after PA chief Mahmoud Abbas’ announcement on Saturday that the force was “illegitimate” unless it joined the PA security apparatuses.
Islam Shahwan the force’s spokesman said in a press release on Saturday that the ministry agreed to the step after many Gazan citizens asked for increasing the force’s number after witnessing for themselves that it was found to protect them and their property in face of outlaws.
Shahwan said that the decision has become official and that the door was open before anyone wishing to enlist in it.
He reiterated previous statements that Abbas’ announcement was “hastily” taken and that he should have worked for cooling the atmosphere and order the formation of specialized committees to probe the issue rather than heighten tensions.
Abbas outlawed the executive force and said in a presidential decree that it was “illegitimate” unless its members joined the official PA security apparatuses.
The PA interior minister Sa’eed Siyam shortly after assuming office last year ordered the formation of that force after consulting with premier Ismail Haneyya and Abbas. The PA security apparatuses which are under the direct command of Abbas were not obeying his orders.
For his part Khaled Abu Hilal the interior ministry’s spokesman told a press conference last night that Abbas’ decision was “rashly taken” at the request of a certain trend within the Fatah Movement led by Abbas in a bid to put more hurdles in the way of the Hamas-formed PA government.
He affirmed that the force was formed at the orders of the interior minister and with the approval of the PA premier and the PA chief with the aim of supporting the security apparatuses.
Abu Hilal pointed out that 60 members of the force were killed and tens others were wounded at the hands of the IOF troops.
