The Palestinian police are no longer allowed to bear arms as of Monday
morning after the three-day mourning period for late leader Yasser Arafat,
Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz reported on Monday.
The ban on the Palestinian security forces bearing arms was reimposed since
6:00 a.m. (0400 GMT), Israeli military sources were quoted as saying.
Any Palestinian seen carrying weapons in the West Bank would be regarded as a
legitimate target, added the sources.
Meanwhile, Moshe Ya'alon, chief of staff of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF),
denied reports that the IDF had given permission to the Palestinian security
forces to carry arms on a regular basis.
Israel had allowed Palestinian security forces in the West Bank city of
Ramallah to carry weapons only during the days of mourning in a bid to
facilitate them to maintain order during Friday's funeral in Ramallah and to
prevent disturbances, he stressed.
The top IDF official also commended the cooperation and coordination between
the Israeli defense establishment and the Palestinian security forces during the
funeral.
The IDF enabled the Palestinians to assume responsibility for security in
Ramallah, including the use of armed policemen who patrolled the city, Ya'alon
said.
