Palestinian Security forces deploy in Bethlehem

Monday December 24, 2007 07:50 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

Just as the Palestinian Christians and Christians from around the world gather in Bethlehem for this year's Christmas celebration, five hundred newly-hired Palestinian security officers loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas deployed in the city on Sunday.

Palestinian security officers in front of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem

They join an additional 1,000 security officers already stationed in Bethlehem by the Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.

This makes Bethlehem the third major city in the West Bank to face a deployment of Palestinian security forces, in accordance with promises made by the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, during a one-day peace talk with Israel in November.

The Israeli government, however, has yet to live up to its promises to halt development of colonies in the West Bank, instead expanding existing settlements and allowing the construction of a number of new colonies.

The Palestinian President and his unelected government are using the Palestinian security forces to suppress the democratically-elected government of the Hamas party – because Israel and the U.S, do not approve of the democratically-elected Hamas government.

"We are trying to see an Israeli withdrawal from Bethlehem... the presence of the Palestinian security forces aims to maintain the rule of law and this is part of our security plan”, said Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad on Sunday.

Israel has allowed the deployment of Palestinian security forces in various parts of the West Bank for the first time since 2002. In 2002, the height of the second intifada (meaning 'shaking off' in Arabic), Israeli forces began attacking the Palestinian security forces which they had earlier approved and funded, bombing Palestinian police stations and attacking members of the security forces.

Although the Palestinian President has faith that the Israeli occupiers will allow the Palestinian police and security officers to deploy, many Palestinians have doubts. Several weeks ago, Israeli border police targeted a Palestinian security officer in Bethlehem and assassinated him directly in front of the Palestinian police station, according to eyewitnesses.

Israeli forces continue to maintain a full military occupation of all parts of the West Bank.

bethlehem | internal unrest | news report saed at imemc dot org