Palestinian National Security Forces

Palestinian National Security Forces الجيش الفلسطيني
Manpower
Military age	20–40
Conscription	20
Active personnel	21,000

The Palestinian National Security Forces, also referred to as the presidential guard (Arabic: الجيش الفلسطيني‎) are the paramilitary forces of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). Since the signing of the Oslo Accords, these forces operate in select areas of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.^[1]

The Palestinian National Security Forces engages in various activities which includes among others, maintaining the security and protection of the Palestinian President and Palestinian Leadership.

The Director General of the Palestinian National Security Forces is Major General Nasser Yousef. The total strength of these forces is estimated at 29,000, broken down as follows:

• Public Security Force - 14,000 (6,000 in Gaza; 8,000 in the West Bank)
• Paletinian Civil Police Force - 10,000 (4,000 in Gaza; 6,000 in the West Bank)
• Preventive Security Force - 3,000 (1,200 in Gaza; 1,800 in the West Bank)
• General Intelligence Force - 3,000
• Military Intelligence Force - 500
• Presidential Security Force - 500

There are also small forces belonging to Coastal Police, Civil Defence, Air Force, Customs and Excise Police Force and the University Security Service.^[1]

The Palestinian Security Force is financed by the United States which, according to media estimates, pays an annual 3 million dollars for it.

History

As part of the Oslo Accords, the PNA was authorized to recruit and train a police force with paramilitary capabilities, but was not permitted to have a military force. Several bilateral agreements between the PNA and Israel regulate the size of the force, its structure, armament, and composition. The agreements provide Israel with the right to review potential recruits and withhold approval of those with a terrorist background. In practice, the PNA has not followed these agreements and Israel has not enforced them, with the result that the actual size and equipment of the force exceeds what was permitted under the agreements. ^[2]

Mohammed Dahlan, was the first chief of the Palestinian Security Force in Gaza from 1994 to 2002. Dahlan was replaced by Rashid Abu Shbak. Jibril Rajoub was the chief president of the Palestinian Security Force in the West Bank and was replaced in 2002 by Zuhair Manasra.^[3]

In June 2007 the Palestinian Security Force had a particularly significant role in the confrontations between Fatah and Hamas. These confrontations resulted in the fall of the Palestinian Preventive Security Force headquarters in western Gaza City by Hamas after bloody clashes.

See also

• United States Security Assistance to the Palestinian Authority
• Palestine Liberation Army

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Eur, 2004, p. 935.
2. ^ Palestine: The recruitment practices of the Palestinian National Forces
3. ^ Arafat reshuffles security officials - CNN

Bibliography

• The Middle East and North Africa 2004 (50th, illustrated ed.), Routledge, 2004, ISBN 1857431847, 9781857431841 

External links

• Palestinian Security Forces
• Marsad - The Palestinian Security Sector Observatory