U.S. to give Abbas forces $86 mln amid power struggle (Reuters)

U.S. to give Abbas forces $86 mln amid power struggle
Fri Jan 5, 2007 4:26am ET

By Adam Entous

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The Bush administration will provide $86 million to help
security forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, expanding U.S.
involvement in his struggle with Hamas, according to documents seen on Friday.

Fighting between Abbas's Fatah faction and Hamas, the ruling Islamist group,
has surged since talks on forming a unity government collapsed and Abbas
called for early parliamentary and presidential elections.

The U.S. money will be used to "assist the Palestinian Authority presidency
in fulfilling PA commitments under the road map (peace plan) to dismantle the
infrastructure of terrorism and establish law and order in the West Bank and
Gaza", according to a U.S. government document.

It said Lieutenant-General Keith Dayton, the U.S. security coordinator between
Israel and the Palestinians, would implement the program "to strengthen and
reform elements of the Palestinian security sector controlled by the PA
presidency"

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