Provided by the Government Press Office

PA Has Deployed Nearly 4 Times the Number of Police Allowed in Hebron

In the five months since the signing of the January 15, 1997 Hebron accord, the Palestinian Authority (PA) has committed numerous violations of its security provisions. Following is a list of the 10 most serious security-related infractions of the Hebron Accord committed by the PA:

1) FAILURE TO CONTAIN DISTURBANCES

The agreement: Under paragraph 7 of the Hebron Accord, the two sides are obligated to “prevent any provocation or friction that may affect the normal life of the city.”
Under paragraph 3 of the agreement, the Palestinian police were supposed to establish checkpoints in the areas adjacent to those under Israeli control in order “to prevent entry of armed persons and demonstrators or other people threatening security and public order into the abovementioned area.”

The violation: During the disturbances in Hebron in late March and early April 1997, as well as in the past two days, the Palestinian police repeatedly failed to contain Palestinian rioters who surged towards the Jewish Quarter. On several occasions, the rioters succeeded in entering the buffer zones separating the Palestinian and Israeli controlled sections of the city, and the Palestinian police did not turn them back. From the outset, little effort was made by the Palestinian security forces to quell the riots, and insufficient measures were taken to prevent recurring incidents of stonethrowing and other attacks on Israelis.

2) UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY OF PALESTINIAN POLICE INTO THE JEWISH QUARTER OF HEBRON

The agreement: Under Paragraph 5(d) of the Hebron Accord, the Palestinian police are permitted to operate in Area H-1 of Hebron, which is under Palestinian control, but not in Area H-2, which is under Israeli control. According to paragraph 4(b) of the agreement, the only Palestinian police permitted to operate in Area H-2 are those serving as part of a Joint Mobile Unit (JMU) together with Israeli soldiers which is intended “to handle incidents that involve Palestinians only.”

The violation: In violation of the accord, armed Palestinian police have repeatedly entered the Jewish Quarter of Hebron. On at least 10 occasions, armed Palestinian policemen have entered the Jewish Quarter, and in 2 other cases, Palestinian police vehicles have entered the area.

3) EXCEEDING THE LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF PALESTINIAN POLICE IN HEBRON

The agreement: Paragraph 5a of the Hebron Accord states that the Palestinians may have “a total of up to 400 policemen, equipped with 20 vehicles and armed with 200 pistols, and 100 rifles for the protection of the police stations.”

The violation: The PA has deployed approximately 1,500 policemen in Hebron, which is nearly four times the number permitted under the agreement.

4) ARREST AND DETENTION OF ISRAELIS IN HEBRON

The agreement: In paragraph 2(b) of the Hebron Accord, Israel and the PA reaffirmed their commitment to honor the security provisions of the Oslo 2 Accord of September 28, 1995. Among the specific articles cited are Article XI of Annex I to Oslo 2, which forbids the PA from arresting or placing Israelis in custody.

The violation: There have been 5 incidents in which Palestinian police have arrested Israelis, and 6 cases in which Israelis were illegally detained. On one occasion, Palestinian police searched an Israeli car, and in one case they confiscated an Israeli’s ID card.

5) THREATENING ISRAELI SOLDIERS AT GUNPOINT

The agreement: In paragraph 2(b) of the Hebron Accord, Israel and the PA reaffirmed their commitment to honor the security provisions of the Oslo 2 Accord of September 28, 1995. Among the specific articles cited are Article II of Annex I to Oslo 2, which obligates the two sides to cooperate and coordinate. Additionally, paragraph 7(a) of the Hebron Accord obligates the two parties to “prevent any provocation or friction that may affect the normal life in the city.”

The violation: There have been 3 incidents in Hebron in which Palestinian policemen have aimed their pistols at Israeli soldiers and threatened to open fire on them.

6) ARMING THE PALESTINIAN POLICE WITH UNAUTHORIZED TYPES OF WEAPONS

The agreement: According to Paragraph 5a of the Hebron Accord, the Palestinian police are permitted to have “200 pistols, and 100 rifles for the protection of the police stations.”

The violation: The PA has armed its security forces in Hebron with weapons that are forbidden under the accord. For example, agents of Jibril Rajoubs Preventive Security Service in Hebron have been armed with Scorpion submachine guns.

7) EXCEEDING THE LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF WEAPONS

The agreement: According to Paragraph 5a of the Hebron Accord, the Palestinian police are permitted to have “100 rifles for the protection of the police stations.”

The violation: The PA has ignored the requirements of the accord, and has exceeded the limit of 100 rifles which the Palestinian police in Hebron are permitted to possess.

8) HINDERING OF ISRAELI SECURITY FORCES BY PALESTINIAN POLICE

The agreement: In paragraph 2(b) of the Hebron Accord, Israel and the PA reaffirmed their commitment to honor the security provisions of the Oslo 2 Accord of September 28, 1995. Among the specific articles cited are Article XI of Annex I to Oslo 2, which forbids the PA from stopping uniformed members of the Israeli security forces “in any circumstances”.

The violation: On 4 occasions, Palestinian police have held up Israeli security forces at Palestinian police stations or roadblocks in Hebron.

9) UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY TO BUFFER ZONES OF PALESTINIAN POLICEMEN ARMED WITH RIFLES

The agreement: Paragraph 5a of the Hebron Accord states that the Palestinian police may have “100 rifles for the protection of the police stations.” Paragraph 5c limits the use of the rifles to members of the Rapid Response Teams [RRTs], which the PA is supposed to establish and deploy in each of the Palestinian police stations in Hebron, and restricts their use to “special cases” only. Under paragraph 5d(2), the RRTs may use the rifles in the Agreed Adjacent Areas (buffer zones between Palestinian and Israeli-controlled territory) only if the measure is coordinated in advance with Israel.

The violation: On at least 6 occasions, Palestinian policemen armed with rifles have entered the Agreed Adjacent Areas. This was done without prior approval or coordination with Israel.

10) FAILURE TO ESTABLISH PALESTINIAN POLICE CHECKPOINT

The agreement: Under paragraph 3 of the Hebron Accord, the Palestinian police are supposed to establish checkpoints in the areas adjacent to those under Israeli control in order “to prevent entry of armed persons and demonstrators or other people threatening security and public order into the abovementioned area.” The checkpoints are delineated in the map contained in Appendix 1 of the accord.

The violation: Despite Israeli requests, the Palestinian police have failed to establish one of the checkpoints agreed upon in the accord.