Contrary to Israeli Shin Bet head Avi Dichter assessment, MI chief Aharon Farkash told Tuesday Knesset foreign affairs and defense committee that Palestinian armed resistance [terrorism in his words] can’t be eliminated by military means only.
Farkash described resistance as a bottomless well and confronting it as an endless task. Dichter last week said that it was possible to get to the bottom of the armed resistance problem.
Farkash also said that he believes that former Palestinian security affairs minister Mohamed Dahlan is failing his internal struggle with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat.
The Israeli military intelligence chief accused Arafat with deceiving his prime minister, Ahmed Qurei, claiming that promises to transfer responsibility for PA security forces to the Palestinian Prime Minister were baseless.
The Palestinian cabinet started Monday a series of meetings focused on reforming Palestinian police force and internal security apparatus, promising that new security heads will be appointed and more police force will be deployed soon.
Qurei rescinded his resignation last week after Arafat agreed to hand to him responsibility over police and internal security following a series of abductions, protests, and internal fighting.
Many of the Fatah related militant groups in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip took part in the crisis, creating a state of chaos that threatened the future of the PA and indicating a serious potential for a more serious internal fight
