Israel bans Palestinian police from carrying weapons

11/15/2004 8:45:00 AM GMT

Israel has withdrew a permit allowing Palestinian security forces to carry weapons in Ramallah, after they were allowed to use weapons to keep order during the burial of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in the West Bank town last week.

The carrying of weapons is forbidden starting Sunday, Lieutenant General Moshe Yaalon, the chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, said yesterday, according to an Israeli government statement.

"The situation will revert to what it was before the burial ceremony," the government said in its statement, citing Yaalon as telling the Cabinet.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz agreed on the decision, an officials who demanded anonymity said.

Yaalon discussed with the Israeli cabinet other more sensitive matters related to Hezbollah operations in Lebanon army Radio reported.

On the other hand, Egypt is preparing to have a big role in the region as Foreign Minister, Ahmed Aboul Ghei, said he wants to travel to Israel later this month to discuss the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip under Sharon’s disengagement plan.

The late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat who died last Thursday in a military hospital outside Paris, France was buried in Ramallah where Israel has confined him in his headquarters for almost three years until his health deteriorated.

Although his burial ceremony was attended by tens of thousands of Palestinians, Palestinian officials managed to arrange the event and keep order among the crowd till Arafat was rested in his grave.

Officials announced yesterday that the Palestinian elections to select a successor for Yasser Arafat is to be held on Jan. 9.

Two years ago, Israel barred Palestinian security forces in the West Bank from carrying weapons after a major Israeli offensive was launched in the areas.