Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday appointed Fatah official Mohammed Dahlan to lead the newly re-established Palestinian National Security Council, which is intended in theory to oversee all security services in the Palestinian territories.

Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeinah said Sunday that the umbrella council would deal with all security matters brought before it. "All issues will be presented before the security council in order to determine solutions," Abu Rudeinah said.

The names of the other council members will be released shortly, upon the release of a presidential order on the matter.

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The security council was established when Yasser Arafat was chairman of the Palestinian Authority, for the purpose of coordinating between the various security services.

The agreement on the Palestinian unity government determined that the council would be responsible for all security services within the PA. The swearing-in on Saturday of a unity government pairing the rival Hamas and Fatah factions has not resolved differences over control of the security services. Tensions remain high, particularly in the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian officials and analysts say the fate of Hamas' Executive Force will be the most difficult issue for the new government to resolve. Hamas says it is pushing ahead with plans to double the size of the contingent to 12,000 members. Fatah wants it dismantled.

A Palestinian security adviser, who declined to be identified, said Dahlan would consider different ways to integrate the security forces. One option is requiring members to give up their memberships in Fatah and Hamas.

Meanwhile, the new Palestinian government convened Sunday on ways to remove the international aid embargo on the Palestinian Authority.

The platform of the unity government includes a mechanism for the authorization of future peace agreements between Abbas' Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel.

According to a compromise reached between Fatah and Hamas, any new agreement will be brought before the Palestinian National Security Council - a kind of PLO parliament comprising several hundred members - or subjected to referendum.

Both options demand processes of preparation and modification, as Hamas, which it is not a member of the PLO, is not currently represented in the security council.

In addition, there is no law currently in place under the PA enabling the calling of a referendum, particularly one representing Palestinians outside of the West Bank and Gaza.

Palestinian girl killed in family fighting in Gaza Strip
An 8-year-old Palestinian girl was killed Sunday in an exchange of gunfire between families in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah.

Two women and a young man were also injured in the exchange.

Inter-family clashes also broke out in the northern Gaza Strip town of Khan Yunis.

An officer with the Force 17 security force was also kidnapped in Rafah, apparently also in a dispute between families.