Palestinian intelligence chief in West Bank quits

4/1/2005 10:00:00 AM GMT

The chief of the Palestinian intelligence in the West Bank, Tawfiq Tirawi, quit his job following armed attacks in Ramallah, security sources said on Friday.

"I cannot work under these conditions," Tirawi wrote in his letter of resignation which he submitted to Palestinian President Mahmood Abbas after meeting with other senior security commanders, the sources said.

Tirawi, the top security official to quit his job since Abbas’ election in January, resigned one day after gunmen attacked the presidential compound in Ramallah before rampaging through the city, damaging several restaurants and forcing shops to close.

According to the sources, Tirawi resigned after his organization was held responsible for failing to end the state of lawlessness.

The sources also said that Tirawi complained that other Palestinian security chiefs didn’t do their best to impose the rule of law Abbas promised after his election.

Meanwhile, Palestinian officials said that gunmen in Ramallah and other West Bank cities will be incorporated into the Palestinian security forces.

On Thursday, Abbas held two urgent meetings with his security chiefs, including Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei and Minister of Interior and National Security Nasser Youssef, to discuss ways to improve security in the West Bank.

"Abbas has issued an order to prevent any security violations and harm to citizens' property," a spokesman for the Palestinian leader said. "Security units have been deployed to prevent further attacks."

Abbas also decided to incorporate all the gunmen into the security forces if Israel agreed not to pursue them. The sources said that the fighters accepted the proposal.