Ramallah, April 3 (IANS) Palestinian authorities have condemned the Israeli cabinet’s move to vote in favour of establishing a National Guard force controlled by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
Stressing “the formation of the national guard will not frighten our people”, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah movement in Gaza denounced the Israeli move, reports Xinhua news agency.
Meanwhile, Hamas) spokesman in Gaza also condemned the Israeli decision, describing it as “a dangerous development”.
According to a statement released by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, the National Guard will deal with “national emergency situations,” such as violent clashes between Jewish and Arab citizens of the country.
A committee composed of all security agencies will draft guidelines for the operation of the National Guard within 90 days, the statement said earlier on Sunday, adding that the committee will also discuss what would be the powers of the force.
Last week, Ben-Gvir had said that the force will be deployed “exclusively” in Arab communities.
Ben-Gvir is one the most extreme Ministers in Netanyahu’s far-right cabinet.
Before entering politics, he was an ultranationalist activist who was convicted of supporting terrorism, incitement to racism and involvement in riots.
The Minister is a resident of the hardline Jewish settlement in Hebron, located in the occupied West Bank.
–IANS
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