Gazan women to join PA army
President Mahmoud Abbas approved Oct. 17 women enlisting in the Palestinian Authority security services in the Gaza Strip.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Palestinian Minister of Civil Affairs Hussein al-Sheikh announced Oct. 17 on a talk show on the official Palestine TV channel that President Mahmoud Abbas approved women enlisting in the Palestinian Authority (PA) security services in the Gaza Strip, with the aim to restructure these services.
This step, the first of its kind since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, is part of the PA government's plan to economically empower the Gaza Strip in the wake of the reconciliation agreement signed by Hamas and Fatah on Oct. 12 under the auspices of Egypt.
The reconciliation agreement is expected to end all of the repercussions of the decadelong internal split and give the PA control over the enclave.
During the talk show, Sheikh said, “The key to empowerment is security. We want only one security. We want to build a unified Palestinian security ideology under the leadership of the PA.”
