RAMALLAH, West Bank — The Palestinian Ministry of Interior in Ramallah this month began accepting licensing requests from potential security companies, and has launched a process to regulate existing ones.

“The government’s decision to license private security companies is aimed at easing the pressure on the police, because it's impossible to deploy police officers to guard public places such as parks, shopping places, universities, institutions and banks," Abdel Nasser al-Sairafi, head of the licensing committee at the Interior Ministry, told Al-Monitor.

The official gazette in May published information on the new system, which categorizes the nature of services the companies provide, such as guarding and protecting facilities and buildings, individuals, valuables, movable and immovable property and any other services approved by the Interior Ministry.

Companies can request a license from the Interior Ministry after registering at the General Directorate of Companies at the Ministry of Economy. The Interior Ministry will decide within 30 days whether to approve a request. Licenses are valid for two years.