WEST BANK: Palestinian Authority open new police stations under U.S.-backed security campaign

Record ID: 560943

  • Title: WEST BANK: Palestinian Authority open new police stations under U.S.-backed security campaign
  • Date: 5th June 2008
  • Summary: POLICE GUN IN FRONT OF ENTRANCE TO STATION SIGN ON STATION READING IN ARABIC 'KUFR THULTH POLICE STATION' EUPOL COPPS OFFICERS AND PALESTINIAN POLICEMEN POSING FOR GROUP PHOTO (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) THE HEAD OF THE PALESTINIAN POLICE IN QALQILIA, OMAR BAZOUR, SAYING: "This area, south of Qalqilia, it is important to open a police station in this area to protect the people, their money, their property and their honour. This area is an important, vital area, the area south of Qalqilia." PALESTINIAN FLAG ATOP POLICE STATION POLICEMAN GUARDING STATION
  • Embargoed: 20th June 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Police,International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAEXES863BJNC8TJL0F4H0XVIVR
  • Story Text: The Palestinian Authority inaugurated several new police stations in the northern West Bank, as part of a U.S. and EU-backed security campaign meant to ready the Palestinians for statehood.
    Palestinian Authority police, hand in hand with EUPOL COPPS -- The EU police coordinating office for Palestinian police support -- opened three new police stations in northern West bank villages, after Israel permitted the move as part of a U.S.-backed security campaign meant to boost Palestinian security responsibilities ahead of statehood.
    Washington sees the campaign as a chance for Palestinian forces to show they can exert control and rein in militants.
    Palestinian police said 105 policemen will be stationed in the new stations in three villages near the city of Jenin in the northern West Bank.
    The policemen will be armed with assault rifles and handguns, the official said.
    One of the stations which was opened on Tuesday (June 3), in the village of Kufur Thulth, marks a change in the security policy in the occupied territory, said Colin Smith, EUPOL COPPS head of mission.
    "The importance of this police station is what is known area B station, it is an area that is not under direct Palestinian Authority control.
    It is an area, a small village here but with a large Arab population, it needs policing, it is part of a development recently in conjunction with the Palestinian Authority, with the government of Israel, to open up a number of these stations, approximately twenty," Smith said.
    Israel had authorised the opening of some 20 Palestinian police stations across the occupied West Bank.
    Hundreds of members of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's forces were deployed last month in Jenin, long seen as a militant bastion.
    Israel has said it will maintain overall security responsibility despite the Palestinian deployment.
    The head of Palestinian police in Qalqilia district, Omar Bazour, said that the presence of policemen in the area will help to maintain rule of law and security for the residents.
    "This area, south of Qalqilia, it is important to open a police station in this area to protect the people, their money, their property and their honour. This area is an important, vital area," Bazour said.
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