Palestinian officials say Yasser Arafat has dismissed the head of the security forces in the West Bank as part of a reorganization of the Palestinian security forces. According to these officials, Mr. Arafat signed a decree on Thursday dismissing Colonel Jibril Rajoub from his security position and appointing Zuhair Manasra, the governor of Jenin, in his place. Palestinian officials have also reported that Ghazi Jabali, the head of police in the Gaza Strip, has submitted his resignation. Both of these individuals denied on Tuesday reports that Mr. Arafat had dismissed them. Mr. Arafat is under pressure from the United States and Israel to make changes to the Palestinian security forces. However, analysts say that the departure of Mr. Rajoub and Mr. Jabali seems more related to internal politics of the Palestinian Authority.
Reorganization of Palestinian Security Forces - 2002-07-05
Yasser Arafat has reorganized the Palestinian security forces by dismissing Colonel Jibril Rajoub and appointing Zuhair Manasra in his place, while Ghazi Jabali has resigned. This move comes amid pressure from the U.S. and Israel but appears to be more about internal Palestinian Authority politics.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Yasser Arafat dismissed Colonel Jibril Rajoub from his position as head of the West Bank security forces and appointed Zuhair Manasra in his place. Additionally, Ghazi Jabali, the police chief in Gaza, has resigned amid these changes.
- Arafat's decision comes under pressure from the U.S. and Israel for reforms in the Palestinian security forces.
- The changes appear to be more influenced by internal Palestinian Authority politics than external pressures.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The Palestinian Authority has faced criticism for its handling of security and governance, particularly in the context of ongoing violence and conflict with Israel.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%