The Palestinian delegation to Washington has decided to extend its visit to allow for a meeting between CIA Director George Tenet and Palestinian Authority Interior Minister Abdel Razek Yehiyeh. The meeting is scheduled for Saturday.
On Friday, the Palestinians were due to see William Burns, the assistant secretary of state for the Near East, and Fred Schieck, the deputy director of the U.S. Agency for International Development.
According to Israeli reports, a CIA team that visited the region secretly has formulated a detailed plan for security reforms in the Palestinian Authority. The team spent several weeks in the PA and Israel, meeting with top security officials on the Palestinian side, and apparently with Israeli officials as well, Haaretz reported in its headline on Friday. They did not meet with PA Chairman Yasser Arafat, as per the U.S. administration's instructions to circumvent him.
The team handed in its report last week to the administration in Washington and recommended major changes in the structures, tasks, operations and recruitment programs for the PA security services. The administration is now studying the recommendations, in consultation with Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, which have agreed to help execute the reforms.
Meanwhile, two Palestinians were arrested by Israeli troops overnight Thursday near the Jewish settlement of Kfar Darom in the Gaza Strip. The two, who are brothers, are suspected of carrying out attacks against Israeli target, Israel’s Army Radio reported. activities.
In addition shots were fired and dozens of grenades were thrown at an Israeli outpost near the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
