US-Sponsored Weapons Fall Into Hamas' Hands

By Cybercast News Service
June 14, 2007

Jerusalem (CNSNews.com) - Weapons transferred to the Palestinian Authority from Egypt and Jordan as part of a U.S. security plan to bolster Fatah-controlled forces loyal to P.A. Chairman Mahmoud Abbas have fallen into the hands of Hamas, the Jerusalem Post reported on Thursday. Hamas has taken over large parts of the Gaza Strip in clashes against Fatah-controlled forces over the last few days. Unnamed Fatah officials were quoted as saying that Hamas has commandeered huge amounts of weapons and military equipment belonging to Abbas' security forces in the Gaza Strip, some of those weapons transferred recently. Hamas said it had confiscated thousands of automatic weapons, pistols, communication equipment, armored vehicles, trucks, binoculars, military uniforms, tents, sleeping bags, hand grenades, mortars and documents. Hamas-linked websites posted pictures of the weapons, and Hamas militants were seen driving some of the commandeered vehicles. "Most of the weapons came from Egypt and Jordan over the past few years," a senior Fatah official was quoted as saying. "They did not come directly from the U.S., although the Americans had initiated the supply of weapons and ammunition," he said. The U.S. has been trying to strengthen forces loyal to Abbas, whom it considers to be a moderate among Palestinians because he publicly calls for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Congress agreed to allow the Bush administration to invest $59 million in the P.A. forces loyal to Abbas - most of which was supposed to go for "non-lethal training and equipment." Sources connected with the deal were adamant that no weapons were involved. Israel recently allowed a shipment of weapons to the P.A. in Gaza from Jordan and Egypt. Critics said at the time that the weapons would eventually either fall into the hands of Hamas or be used by Palestinians to fight Israel or both.