(AP/Washington Post) UN Middle East Envoy Terje-Roed Larson Tuesday painted a grim picture of lawlessness in the Palestinian Authority, questioned its failure to institute critical reforms, and blamed Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. "The PA, despite consistent promises by its leadership, has made no progress on its core obligation to take immediate action on the ground to end violence and combat terror, and to reform and reorganize the PA," he said. "Clashes and showdowns between branches of Palestinian security forces are now common in the Gaza Strip, where PA legal authority is receding fast in the face of the mounting power of arms, money, and intimidation....Lawlessness and gang rule is becoming common in Nablus....This collapse of authority cannot be attributed only to the Israeli incursions and operations inside Palestinian towns."
2004-07-14 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive