Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has issued a decree
convicting any one who joins the executive forces of rival Hamas
movement, a local news agency reported on Thursday.
The Hamas police force participated alongside Hamas' military
wing in Gaza fighting against Abbas' Fatah movement and the forces
loyal to the Palestinian President. The Islamists took control of
Gaza Strip in June.
"Any one joins the executive forces or Hamas militia would be
jailed between 3-7 years," says the decree which Ramattan news
agency said was secret.
"The executive forces and Hamas militia are outlaw and
unauthorized," the decree, dated on August 13, added. It also
ordered the banks to freeze accounts of the executive forces
members.
The police force was established during the rule of Hamas
government in May 2006 to help the civil police imposing law and
ordered in the volatile Gaza.
Earlier this month, the caretaker Palestinian government, formed
by Abbas after Hamas' takeover of Gaza, has mistakenly transferred
payments to some 3.500 members of Hamas police force. The
Palestinian Islamic Bank in Gaza has blocked the money upon a
request from Ramallah government. As a result, Hamas forces have
arrested the bank's director for questioning.
Meanwhile, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said his movement "can
not be erased through presidential decrees."
His remarks were made following a decree by Abbas to fire eight
Hamas men from their governmental jobs for helping the dismissed
Hamas government that still functioning in the Gaza Strip. "The
employees can be sacked after a court ruling, so we reject Abbas'
decision and insist those employees will remain in their work," Abu
Zuhri told reporters in Gaza.
(Xinhua News Agency August 17, 2007)
