The Palestinian Authority (PA) police commander has cast doubt on whether the terms of the reconciliation agreement with Hamas can be implemented warning that his forces cannot guarantee law and order unless Hamas is disarmed.
With his comments Hazem Atallah acknowledged Wednesday that the most significant sticking point in the reconciliation talks — who will control Hamas’ resistance arsenal — is nowhere near resolution.
“It is impossible. How can I do security when there are all these rockets and guns? Is this possible? It doesn’t work” Atallah told a gathering of foreign journalists in the West Bank.
Atallah also confirmed that security coordination with Israel in the West Bank has resumed. The Palestinians suspended most contacts last summer to protest Israeli policies at a Jerusalem’s holy al-Aqsa Mosque.
Atallah laid out tough conditions for Hamas. He indicated that he would not accept any Hamas police into his own force saying that he would only employ officers hired before the 2007 Hamas takeover. He also said that it would be unacceptable for Hamas to hold on to its resistance weapons.
The solution he said is to “take them away to dig them down.” The orders he added “are very clear. We are talking about one authority one law and one gun.”
Palestinian factions are to meet again in Egypt which has been mediating on Nov. 21 for what Atallah called “very important” talks.
Prime Minister Rami al-Hamdallah said this week that his government cannot operate at the crossings without the presence of the security forces a file that has not been resolved so far.
