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Source: http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/templateC05.php?CID=2328
Assessing Palestinian Security Reform
(Washington Institute for Near East Policy) Mohammed Yaghi - A spike in armed clashes, crime, and demonstrations in the territories has highlighted the issue of law and order among the Palestinian people, who are increasingly concerned about their daily security. While several important steps have already been taken in the area of restructuring and reforming the security forces, much remains to be done before the PA can instill law and order. The new security chiefs share much in common. All were deputies of their dismissed superiors and most served with PLO forces in Lebanon. This suggests that the new leaders are unlikely to behave in a significantly different manner, given their intimate associations with the old system. Although the PA allocates $504 million (24% of its budget) to its security forces, Palestinians have yet to see tangible improvements in their daily security. Additional personnel reforms beyond the highest leadership levels are urgently needed. The existing force of 58,000 security personnel is well in excess of what is needed. The more acute problem is one of effectiveness rather than numbers. In a recent recruitment drive, the Interior Ministry received nearly 60,000 applications for 5,000 available positions that required no specific qualifications other than age. Although Abbas issued his unification orders more than two months ago, frequent clashes are still occurring between forces contending for territory and authority. The writer is executive director of the Palestinian Center for Mass Communication and a columnist for al-Ayyam.