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The Honeymoon is Truly Over for Abbas

(Jerusalem Post) Khaled Abu Toameh - Haj Ismail Jaber, commander of the National Security Forces in the West Bank and a longtime Arafat ally, was sacked after he refused to carry out Abbas's order to arrest the Fatah gunmen who rioted in Ramallah last week, shooting at the Mukata compound and damaging several restaurants and shops. Most of the gunmen are wanted by Israel, and Jaber was not prepared to be seen as doing Israel's dirty work. The attackers were led by Jaber Barghouti, of Fatah's armed wing, the Aksa Martyrs Brigades, who is regarded as the de facto commander of Ramallah. Abbas has been trying to persuade them to surrender their weapons and join the security forces, but only a few have agreed to do so. Most had actually been serving in the security forces before they joined the Aksa Martyrs Brigades. Now Abbas is planning a major shake-up in his security forces - a move many Palestinians believe will only add to his woes as the security chiefs create trouble for Abbas once they are removed from their jobs. The Palestinian public is clearly growing impatient with his failure to bring about real change. "Abbas's 100 days of grace are over," said a prominent Ramallah businessman. "If he can't deliver, he should pack his bags and leave."
2005-04-04 00:00:00
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