Yasser Arafat has officially fired Jibril Rajoub as head of the PA Security Forces in Gaza - and appointed him Governor of the Jenin region. It is not yet clear how Rajoub, who has strong support in Gaza, will react. PA Police Chief Razi Jabali, too, was fired from his position, and then announced that he would run against Arafat in the January election. Jabali has long been wanted by Israel for personal involvement in a terrorist shooting outside Brachah in the Shomron, and is said to have a reputation of corruption within the PA. Gold jewelry valued at some 1.3 million shekels (over $260,000) was found in his home during Operation Defensive Shield. Arafat wants to keep him around, however, and has appointed him his \"Advisor on Police Affairs.\"
Middle East Arab affairs expert Prof. Moshe Sharon says that Arafat\'s \"reforms\" are nothing more than \"Moslem, eastern sport, of the type popular in dictator states such as Saddam Hussein\'s regime.\" Speaking with Arutz-7 this morning, Sharon said that Arafat\'s strength lies in the in-fighting he encourages among the top officials, \"and he toys with them in various ways… We must realize that \'reforms\' are a European concept, but with the Arabs it\'s just a game. We give names to all his moves, but really they are of no import.\" Prof. Sharon said that Arafat \"will certainly not give up his power on his own. The only pressure that could work on him is to catch him and put him in jail.\"
Middle East Arab affairs expert Prof. Moshe Sharon says that Arafat\'s \"reforms\" are nothing more than \"Moslem, eastern sport, of the type popular in dictator states such as Saddam Hussein\'s regime.\" Speaking with Arutz-7 this morning, Sharon said that Arafat\'s strength lies in the in-fighting he encourages among the top officials, \"and he toys with them in various ways… We must realize that \'reforms\' are a European concept, but with the Arabs it\'s just a game. We give names to all his moves, but really they are of no import.\" Prof. Sharon said that Arafat \"will certainly not give up his power on his own. The only pressure that could work on him is to catch him and put him in jail.\"