The Bush administration has sent a request to the US Congress to approve an increase of $25 million to expand the military capability of security forces in the Palestinian Authority. The funds would be used to cover training in Jordan for a new PA battalion of more than 700 members, set to begin in May.
US General Keith Dayton, who has been in charge of training PA Chairman and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas's forces until now, will be responsible for the training of the new troops as well. Fatah forces in Gaza who were trained by Dayton fled during the civil war that ended with the takeover of the region by the rival Hamas terrorist organization.
Many of the new weapons that had been purchased and paid for by the US and used to equip the Fatah forces ended up in Hamas hands during its rout of Abbas's forces in Gaza. PA police officers have also been involved in a number of deadly attacks on Jews in the past year as well.