Arafat pressed to fire security boss

RAMALLAH - Yasser Arafat's effort to overhaul his security forces under United States pressure was mired in confusion last night as mystery surrounded the future of his West Bank security chief.

A high-level bid to remove Colonel Jibril Rajoub, considered one of the Palestinian President's potential successors, appeared to be in the works, although Rajoub called the reports "lies and baseless stories".

The Palestinian infighting flared as Israel announced it would gradually ease daytime curfews clamped on West Bank towns reoccupied by its Army after back-to-back Palestinian suicide bombings killed 26 Israelis.

Whatever the outcome of the West Bank power struggle, it is unlikely to mollify Arafat's US critics. Secretary of State Colin Powell reasserted Washington's position that it would no longer deal with Arafat and said US officials were trying to bring reluctant Europeans on board.

Rajoub, head of preventive security in the West Bank, denied news reports that he had been summarily dismissed.

"I think someone is trying to harm the whole security services," he said.

Palestinian Authority sources said Arafat had received a recommendation from his new Interior Minister, Abdel-Razzak al-Yahya, to fire Rajoub as part of a security shakeup but was reluctant to act.

Rajoub, who commands the loyalty of thousands of security men, said he would step aside if Arafat ordered him to do so. He cannot be removed without a presidential decree.

US President George W. Bush said last month that no move would be made towards a Palestinian state unless Palestinians elected new leaders "uncompromised by terror" and implemented sweeping democratic reforms.

Arafat responded last week by calling elections for January and announcing an overhaul of Palestinian institutions, including the multiple security services Israel has blamed for failing to stop the suicide attacks.

While US and Israeli officials have voiced scepticism about Arafat's plans, ordinary Palestinians - even those who complain of corruption and mismanagement in the Palestinian Authority - have rallied to support him.

In Gaza City, thousands of Palestinians chanted slogans, carried banners and fired guns in the air at a rally against Bush's call to replace him.

"Our rifles will protect our right of free choice and not Bush's dictates," one militant said. "Our choice is Arafat."

However, Gaza was also the scene of fresh unrest. Palestinian security forces fired at protesters who attacked a police station with rocks and pipe bombs, demanding the execution of a suspected collaborator with Israel.

- REUTERS

Feature: Middle East

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