MIDDLE EAST:Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas has asked Israel to allow him to bring PLO fighters based in Jordan into the West Bank to strengthen his control.
Mr Abbas, clearly concerned that Hamas's takeover of the Gaza Strip could threaten his hold on the West Bank as well, apparently made his request at a meeting hosted by Egypt on Monday in Sharm el-Sheikh.
A senior Israeli government official said that the Palestinians submitted a request "to transfer the Badr Brigade from Jordan to the West Bank. It is being evaluated and a decision will be made soon."
Hosted by Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, the summit was attended by Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert and Mr Abbas, and was aimed at bolstering the emergency government Mr Abbas had appointed after disbanding the Hamas-led national unity government in the wake of the Islamic movement's violent takeover of Gaza.
Abbas-appointed Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad did not deny the request. "I cannot really comment on that for the time being," he said.
The Badr Brigade, formed in the 1960s as part of the PLO's military wing, also has close ties to Jordan's king. There are conflicting reports on the size of the brigade and how well-trained it is. Estimates range from 1,000 to several thousand fighters.
Mr Abbas first put in a request to bring in the Badr Brigade last year when clashes intensified between Fatah and Hamas. But back then he wanted to deploy the fighters in Gaza in a bid to shore up the Fatah-controlled security forces in the coastal strip. Ultimately, the brigade members did not arrive.
Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said his movement did not object to the Badr forces being allowed to return, as long as they were not used to suppress Hamas.
Mr Abbas also banned Palestinians from carrying weapons and explosives without a licence, part of a crackdown aimed at weakening Hamas in the West Bank.
Mr Olmert was criticised by hardliners over his decision to release 250 Fatah prisoners in a bid to bolster Mr Abbas.
The decision, said hawkish opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu, "will not strengthen the Palestinian Authority, it will weaken the fight against terror". But the move is expected to pass by a big majority at Sunday's cabinet meeting.-