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04-12-07, 06:55
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/objects/pages/PrintArticleEn.jhtml?itemNo=930613
Israel delays transfer of armored personnel carriers to Abbas
By The Associated Press and Haaretz Service
Israel has delayed a planned transfer of 25 armored personnel carriers from Russia to the Palestinian Authority, planned for this week in Nablus, because the Palestinians want to have them mounted with machine guns, security officials said Monday.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert approved the shipment two weeks ago over the
objections of his own security forces, in an effort to bolster Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ahead of last week's U.S.-sponsored Mideast peace conference.
But the security officials said Monday that the shipment has been delayed
because the Palestinians want to equip the vehicles with guns. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki confirmed that Israel was holding up the deal. "Israel says it will not allow these carriers to come in because they have been designed to be used with machine guns on top," Malki said. "Now we are trying to fix this issue with Israel."
Housing Minister Zeev Boim said Israel did not yet trust the strength of Palestinian forces, fearing that their equipment and weapons could fall into Hamas' hands. "We do need to strengthen Abbas' security forces," Boim said. "But it's way too early for them to have APCs with mounts for heavy weapons."
Russia had proposed shipping the armored vehicles to Palestinian security
forces two years ago, but delivery was stalled because of Israeli opposition.
Rightist MKs lashed out at Olmert after he approved the transfer of the Russian-made vehicles to Palestinian Authority security forces in the West Bank last month, with MK Arieh Eldad (National Union) saying Olmert "will be personally responsible for each Jew that will be harmed, and he will be put on trial for crimes against the Jewish people"
In addition to the armored vehicles, the officials said, Olmert approved shipment of 1,000 rifles and 2 million rounds of ammunition for Abbas' forces.
Israel delays transfer of armored personnel carriers to Abbas
By The Associated Press and Haaretz Service
Israel has delayed a planned transfer of 25 armored personnel carriers from Russia to the Palestinian Authority, planned for this week in Nablus, because the Palestinians want to have them mounted with machine guns, security officials said Monday.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert approved the shipment two weeks ago over the
objections of his own security forces, in an effort to bolster Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ahead of last week's U.S.-sponsored Mideast peace conference.
But the security officials said Monday that the shipment has been delayed
because the Palestinians want to equip the vehicles with guns. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki confirmed that Israel was holding up the deal. "Israel says it will not allow these carriers to come in because they have been designed to be used with machine guns on top," Malki said. "Now we are trying to fix this issue with Israel."
Housing Minister Zeev Boim said Israel did not yet trust the strength of Palestinian forces, fearing that their equipment and weapons could fall into Hamas' hands. "We do need to strengthen Abbas' security forces," Boim said. "But it's way too early for them to have APCs with mounts for heavy weapons."
Russia had proposed shipping the armored vehicles to Palestinian security
forces two years ago, but delivery was stalled because of Israeli opposition.
Rightist MKs lashed out at Olmert after he approved the transfer of the Russian-made vehicles to Palestinian Authority security forces in the West Bank last month, with MK Arieh Eldad (National Union) saying Olmert "will be personally responsible for each Jew that will be harmed, and he will be put on trial for crimes against the Jewish people"
In addition to the armored vehicles, the officials said, Olmert approved shipment of 1,000 rifles and 2 million rounds of ammunition for Abbas' forces.