With eye on Hamas, Fatah enlists 4,000

Mon., June 19, 2006 (EDIT for date)
With eye on Hamas, Fatah enlists 4,000

By Avi Issacharoff

The Preventive Security Forces in Gaza and other centrist Fatah forces under the command of Mohammed Dahlan recently recruited over 4,000 young Palestinians to their ranks in anticipation of a potential confrontation with Hamas.

About 2,500 men volunteered for the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades and Al-Asifa in the southern Gaza Strip, while the remainder will serve as rank-and-file soldiers in the Preventive Security Forces.

Talks between Fatah and Hamas on the prisoners' document, which calls for Israel's return to the '67 borders, are continuing. The speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, Sheikh Aziz Dweik, said yesterday that the organizations could reach an agreement within two days.

snip

Rumors are circulating in Gaza concerning the source of the funds for training the new soldiers, but neither it nor the exact connection of Dahlan to the new military frameworks is clearly defined. All the commanders are thought to be close to him. But he denies all connection to the activities of the preventive forces or to Al-Aqsa. However, the Hamas posters in Gaza denouncing the former commander's continuing connection to the forces speak for themselves.

snip
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/727924.html