Israel urges silence on U.S. weapons to Palestinians

Israel urges silence on U.S. weapons to Palestinians
Defense officials fear American arms, equipment will be used to attack Jewish state
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Posted: January 18, 2007
1:00 a.m. Eastern

By Aaron Klein
© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com

TEL AVIV – Israeli leaders are pressuring senior officials in the Israeli Defense Forces to put aside reservations regarding U.S. plans to train, finance and arm militias associated with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party, WND has learned.
The senior IDF officials fear some of the American aid, weapons and equipment slated to be provided to the Palestinians will be used to attack the Jewish state, according to defense sources.

The Israeli army officials have petitioned to make their objections public in conversations with American and European diplomats, defense sources said.

"We are being pressured from the (Israeli) political echelon not to interfere with American plans to provide weapons and equipment to Fatah," said a senior IDF source. "The concerns are that the weapons and equipment will be shared with elements of Fatah that regularly attack Israeli troops and plan attacks against Israeli civilians."

"We've been told this (American aid) is a decision for the prime minister and minister of Defense and that our public objections are inappropriate," the IDF source told WND.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice last week told reporters the U.S. is working with Fatah to create a unified Palestinian security force, which she said would combine Fatah factions and afford more control over the distribution of American aid and weapons.

The Bush administration reportedly will grant $86.4 million to strengthen the Fatah forces, including Force 17, Abbas' security detail, which also serves as de facto police units in the Gaza Strip and West Bank.
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