RAMALLAH [MENL] -- The United States has provided more than $4 million for the absorption of hundreds of insurgents into Palestinian Authority security forces.
Palestinian sources said the Bush administration relayed 20 million shekels, or $4.4 million, for the transfer of Fatah insurgents to the PA security forces. The sources said the U.S. aid, allocated via the PA, was meant to facilitate the elimination of the Fatah-dominated Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, a leading insurgency force in the war against Israel.
'The U.S. money was meant to pay salaries for Al Aqsa people who join the PA,' a senior Palestinian source involved in the effort said.
Al Aqsa has a force of between 500 and 700 fighters, and the sources said they would receive at least 1,750 shekels, or nearly $400, per month. The sources said most of the fighters have agreed to join the PA security forces, but said at least 100 would continue attacks against Israel in operations financed by Iran and Hizbullah.
Why exactly does anyone think that the Al Aqsa Palestinian Arab "policemen" aren't also terrorists at the same time - just with a little more money?