Arafat unveils plans to retrain security forces

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat said today that US, Egyptian and Jordanian officials would oversee reforms to Palestinian…

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat said today that US, Egyptian and Jordanian officials would oversee reforms to Palestinian security services.

He was speaking after high-level talks between Palestinians and the United States.

Three of Mr Arafat’s cabinet ministers, US Secretary of State Ms Colin Powell and White House national security adviser Ms Condoleezza Rice addressed Palestinian reforms in Washington to help overcome the Middle East's bloody stalemate.

Mr Arafat, in an interview with Arab satellite channel al-Jazeera on today, described the talks as "positive and constructive" and said it was agreed foreign experts would help overhaul the Palestinian security apparatus.

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"There is an agreement that Americans, Egyptians and Jordanians will come and administer the training of our security branches," said the Palestinian president, speaking in his West Bank compound ringed by Israeli tanks.

US officials have ostracised Mr Arafat since President George W. Bush called in June for a new Palestinian leadership but agreed to receive ministers associated with mooted reforms.

It was Arafat's first public acceptance of foreign involvement in reforming security organs that Israel regards as having failed to stop, and even abetted, an uprising led by Palestinian militants in the West Bank and Gaza.

Bloodshed resumed today as Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian in the West Bank city of Tulkarm, witnesses said.

Israeli forces in the West Bank city of Qalqilya also detained Ibrahim Abdul Dahmas, described by the army as a senior militant of Hamas. The army said three other militants were seized.