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Palestinian Arabs

Hamas: Guns for police and terrorists only

Planned arms confiscation isn't exactly what Oslo mandated


By Ryan Jones
May 07, 2006

The Hamas rulers of the Palestinian Authority apparently plan to implement sweeping gun reforms and confiscate large numbers of illegal weapons in the coming months, though not exactly in accordance with the terms of the "Oslo" peace agreements.

Borrowing a term from former PA Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia, Hamas spokesman Khaled Abu Hilal told The Jerusalem Post the regime is interested in "ending the choas of weapons," a phrase Western "peace" brokers previously assumed meant the removal of terrorist arms used against Israeli Jews.

But Abu Hilal stressed the Hamas Authority has no problem with the killers of Israelis retaining their weapons, and only wants to put an end to armed confrontations between Palestinian Arabs.

"The only ones who will be allowed to carry weapons are the policemen who are in charge of law and order and members of the resistance groups who are confronting Israeli aggression."

To achieve that aim, Hamas has fielded a new security force under the direct command of PA Interior Minister Saed Siyam, which will, among other things, work to stop various "Palestinian" factions, including several of the other 12 security branches, from warring with one another.

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