Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., December 10, 2007 Tevet 1, 5768 | | Israel Time: 21:56 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Advertising
Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File Hanukkah
Palestinian security officers march during a training session in Nablus last month. (AP)
del.icio.us
Digg It!  new
Last update - 17:58 03/12/2007
Israel delays transfer of armored personnel carriers to Abbas
By The Associated Press and Haaretz Service
Tags: IDF, West Bank, Fatah, Israel

Israel has delayed a planned transfer of 25 armored personnel carriers from Russia to the Palestinian Authority, planned for this week in Nablus, because the Palestinians want to have them mounted with machine guns, security officials said Monday.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert approved the shipment two weeks ago over the
objections of his own security forces, in an effort to bolster Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ahead of last week's U.S.-sponsored Mideast peace conference.
Advertisement
But the security officials said Monday that the shipment has been delayed
because the Palestinians want to equip the vehicles with guns. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki confirmed that Israel was holding up the deal. "Israel says it will not allow these carriers to come in because they have been designed to be used with machine guns on top," Malki said. "Now we are trying to fix this issue with Israel."

Housing Minister Zeev Boim said Israel did not yet trust the strength of Palestinian forces, fearing that their equipment and weapons could fall into Hamas' hands. "We do need to strengthen Abbas' security forces," Boim said. "But it's way too early for them to have APCs with mounts for heavy weapons."

Russia had proposed shipping the armored vehicles to Palestinian security
forces two years ago, but delivery was stalled because of Israeli opposition.

Rightist MKs lashed out at Olmert after he approved the transfer of the Russian-made vehicles to Palestinian Authority security forces in the West Bank last month, with MK Arieh Eldad (National Union) saying Olmert "will be personally responsible for each Jew that will be harmed, and he will be put on trial for crimes against the Jewish people"

In addition to the armored vehicles, the officials said, Olmert approved shipment of 1,000 rifles and 2 million rounds of ammunition for Abbas' forces.


Related articles:
  • Rightist MKs slam PM's move to transfer armored vehicles to PA
  • Top U.S. diplomat: PA security forces have improved order in Nablus
  • U.S. to give Nablus $1M in aid in pre-summit boost for Abbas
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us
    Bigotry prevails
    Haaretz.com TV: A new study shows a rise in racism against Israel's Arabs.
    High and dry
    Hamas seizes hundreds of pounds of marijuana in Gaza - and burns it in public.
      1.   Giving the pals armour 10:14  |  Adrian de Klerk 03/12/07
      2.   Gestures 10:23  |  Morris Amsel 03/12/07
      3.   Transfer on hold until Abbas recognizes "Jewish" Israel 11:52  |  Dr. L. Brnd 03/12/07
      4.   Armoured cars for what? 12:25  |  El-Birawi 03/12/07
      5.   The lamest excuse I ever heard 12:43  |  Axel 03/12/07
      6.   another joke of the week why not some f15s too 12:47  |  victor hardman 03/12/07
      7.   another joke of the week why not some f15s too 12:47  |  victor hardman 03/12/07
      8.   axel`s "good-od 14:07  |  Barry 03/12/07
      9.   WHAT IS WRONG WITH OLMERT??????????????????? 14:18  |  Nechama 03/12/07
      10.   Axel 14:31  |  Am yisrael chai 03/12/07
      11.   # 8 barry 14:47  |  Axel 03/12/07
      12.   # 10 am 14:50  |  Axel 03/12/07
      13.   Ya Wohl Mein Herr Axel 15:15  |  GABE1 03/12/07
      14.   Axel - PA guns kill 15:37  |  Am yisrael chai 03/12/07
      15.   # 13 gabe 15:59  |  Axel 03/12/07
      16.   APCs to the Palestinians. 16:41  |  David Nigel Braham 03/12/07
      17.   # 14 am 17:12  |  Axel 03/12/07
      18.   #5 Axel - you ran away again 17:20  |  * BEN JABO 03/12/07
      19.   #11 Axel to Barry 17:24  |  * BEN JABO 03/12/07
      20.   #12 Axel to 10AM 17:26  |  * BEN JABO 03/12/07
      21.   #15 Axel to Gabe 17:30  |  * BEN JABO 03/12/07
      22.   # 18 ben jabber 17:41  |  Axel 03/12/07
      23.   Transfer of weapons...The acts of the mentally incompetent. 18:02  |  bat yam 03/12/07
      24.   #22 Axel - Nobody asked you to jump 18:03  |  * BEN JABO 03/12/07
      25.   #22-2 Axel - You`re unique 18:04  |  * BEN JABO 03/12/07
      26.   Axel # 5 18:17  |  ChanahS 03/12/07
      27.   #10, Am yisrael chai to Axel... 18:17  |  Silvienne 03/12/07
      28.   #20, Ben Jabo to Axel.. 18:19  |  Silvienne 03/12/07
      29.   then don`t promise them the weapons 18:24  |  Paul Freedman 03/12/07
      30.   Herr Axel & jumping. 19:10  |  curious 03/12/07
      31.   Someone please me why armored PC`s are being transferred to PA... 19:16  |  common sense 03/12/07
      32.   they shot the settler, time to give them better arms 22:36  |  mike 03/12/07
      33.   #28 Silvienne - I`ll tell you why 22:42  |  * BEN JABO 03/12/07
      34.   #31 Common sense 22:45  |  * BEN JABO 03/12/07
      35.   #27 Silvienne to Am Yisroel Chai 22:47  |  * BEN JABO 03/12/07
      36.   Just Target Practice 23:09  |  Major R 03/12/07
      37.   # 27 silvienne 23:37  |  Axel 03/12/07
      38.   PM gave arms2 PA who murdered Ido! 23:40  |  sam 03/12/07
      39.   # 31 common (?) sense 23:50  |  Axel 03/12/07
      40.   #22, Axel to Ben Jabo... 00:07  |  Silvienne 04/12/07
      41.   Hey Folks, Is Goose Stepping Axel Back On Again? 00:44  |  Martin Luther 04/12/07
      42.   #22, Axel to Ben Jabo 2ND TRY 01:21  |  Silvienne 04/12/07
      43.   Silvienne re Axel - For Your Information During An Exchange 02:11  |  Martin Luther 04/12/07
      44.   Hey, "Martin Luther" 02:44  |  Axel 04/12/07
      45.   # 42 silvienne 02:48  |  Axel 04/12/07
      46.   #33, Ben Jabo... 02:59  |  Silvienne 04/12/07
      47.   #42 Silvinne to Axel 03:15  |  * BEN JABO 04/12/07
      48.   Israel must be insane? 05:16  |  cristo 04/12/07
      49.   Axel # 44 _You Mean A Famous Character Who`s Filth 06:43  |  Martin Luther 04/12/07
      50.   Armored Cars MUST BE BANNED 18:48  |  * BEN JABO 04/12/07
      51.   armours to abbas 19:03  |  gaber 04/12/07
      52.   #46 Silvienne - Olmert was "Allowing" not "GIVING" 00:42  |  * BEN JABO 05/12/07
      53.   #52, Ben Jabo... 04:46  |  Silvienne 05/12/07
      54.   #53 Silvienne 08:10  |  * BEN JABO 05/12/07
      55.   Russian Armored Car (Mini-tanks) are configured 03:08  |  * BEN JABO 06/12/07
      56.   #55, Ben Jabo... 20:43  |  Silvienne 06/12/07
      57.   #56 Silvienne 21:32  |  * BEN JABO 06/12/07
      58.   #57, Ben Jabo... 23:20  |  Silvienne 06/12/07
      59.   #58 Silvienne 23:53  |  * BEN JABO 07/12/07
      60.   #59, Ben Jabo... 08:01  |  Silvienne 08/12/07
      61.   #60 Silvienne 13:02  |  * BEN JABO 08/12/07
      62.   #60-2 Silvienne 13:08  |  * BEN JABO 08/12/07
      63.   #61, Ben Jabo... 07:42  |  Silvienne 09/12/07
      64.   #62, Ben Jabo... 07:48  |  Silvienne 09/12/07
      65.   #63 Silvienne - TURN OF THE SCREW 23:21  |  * BEN JABO 09/12/07
      66.   #64 Silvienne - A Palestinian state already exists 23:27  |  * BEN JABO 09/12/07
      67.   #66, Ben Jabo.. 05:01  |  Silvienne 10/12/07
      68.   #67 Silvienne - you`re getting tiresome 18:44  |  * BEN JABO 10/12/07
     Today Online
    Burston: Hamas - If we can kill them, we can talk to them
    Responses: 80
    Russia said trying to lure Russian olim back home
    Responses: 147
    Akiva Eldar: Building in E. J'lem undermines spirit of Annapolis
    Responses: 112
    Religious party leader: Same-sex families undermine Judaism
    Responses: 56
    Military censor: IDF revealed classified data during war
    Responses: 18
    Rosner's Domain
    Jervis & Cohen discuss the flaws of the Iran NIE
    The CIA's brain drain (WTR)