The uncertain future of Palestinian security forces
Egypt stands ready to unify Palestinian security forces through an organizational overhaul and training, but Hamas may not be accepting of the offer.
Despite the signing of the Fatah-Hamas reconciliation agreement in Cairo on Oct. 12 and further reconciliation talks in Cairo on Nov. 21 and 23, security appears to remain the most challenging and complex issue.
Ahmad Halas, a member of Fatah’s Central Committee and general commissioner for mobilization in Gaza, had announced on Nov. 6 that Egypt will have a role in training the Palestinian security forces and is willing to oversee the reorganization of the entire security structure of the Palestinian Authority (PA).
Hamas political bureau member Khalil al-Hayya told Al-Monitor, “Hamas welcomes any Egyptian role in the delicate security issue as part of a Palestinian-Egyptian agreement on the future of the security structure. During the latest round of talks in Cairo, Hamas and Fatah agreed to merge 3,000 new security officers with the current ones serving in Gaza and to form a joint security committee comprised of eight experts to restructure the security establishment in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, under Egyptian auspices and Arab supervision.”
Egyptian officials were quoted on Nov. 6 as saying that Cairo will arrange programs for Palestinian security forces in military and police training camps in Egypt. This includes restructuring and rehabilitating the different branches of the security forces, controlling the Palestinian side of the border with the Sinai Peninsula, eliminating armed groups in Gaza that cooperate with Wilayat Sinai militants and unifying Palestinian security institutions in Gaza and the West Bank under the same leadership and devoid of political and ideological issues that could negatively affect performance.
