The CIA trained Palestinians who "crossed over"
Special envoy Ward, expected soon
Photo: U.S. Army
U.S. may train Palestinian police
Former trainees used their weapons against Israel; Americans still undecided on matter
WASHINGTON - Despite negative past experience, Israel and the U.S are considering the resumption of anti-terror warfare training sessions for Palestinian police.
The CIA has trained Palestinian police officers in the past, but some of them used weapons provided by the agency against Israel following the intifada's outbreak.
Meanwhile, the San Francisco Examiner published photos taken at a secret base in the Washington suburbs, close to the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia. Palestinian officers from Bethlehem, Jericho and Nablus are depicted in photos taken in 1998.
The training course was halted at the start of the intifada, and is now apparently expected to re-open.
This quandary is now all the more potent ahead of special envoy General William Ward’s scheduled visit to the region next week.
Ward is charged with setting up a unified Palestinian security apparatus and a chain of command, but the U.S. and Israel have been debating over the question of how to ensure past problems are not repeated.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said several days ago the U.S. must ensure "the Palestinians become part of the solution, and not part of the problem.”
