Palestinian security chief Mohammed Dahlan has offered to buy illegal weapons carried by members of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, Palestinian officials said over the weekend, according to press reports.
The buyback, which is to start in the coming days, has been funded by money from the United States, Britain and other European countries, the officials said.
A senior activist at Al-Aqsa Brigades said Dahlan is offering $6,000 for each rifle. Dahlan also offered a signup bonus of at least $6,000 to Al-Aqsa members who join the security forces, Palestinian sources said.
Meanwhile, following Hamas' decision to end cease-fire talks with the Palestinian Authority, the U.S. on Friday denounced the Resistance Movement as an "enemy of peace." But White House spokesman, Scott McClellan said that Bush's peace efforts would go on. He urged all parties in the region to dismantle the "infrastructure of terror."
"Hamas is an enemy of peace and we will continue working with all parties to try to achieve peace," McClellan said.
"All parties agree that terrorism must end and that all parties have responsibilities to fight terror, and do everything they can to dismantle the infrastructure of terror," said McClellan.
Officials in Washington said they were not surprised that Hamas broke off the talks. "All parties agreed - and said they agreed - that terrorism has to stop and that all parties have an obligation to fight terror," said Michael Anton, a spokesman for the White House's National Security Council. "Those who pursue terror have made it clear they want to prevent peace." (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
