Abbas Nixes Hamas Security-Force Plans

Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh from the Hamas party waves following his speech to Friday prayers in Gaza City, Friday, April 21, 2006. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday vetoed a Hamas decision to set up a new security force that was to be made up of militants and to be headed by the Jamal Abu Samhadana No. 2 on Israel's wanted list, a top PLO official said. (AP Photo) (AP)

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -- In their sharpest power dispute yet, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday blocked Hamas' plans to set up a shadow security force, which was to be made up of militants and to be headed by the No. 2 on Israel's wanted list.

Abbas issued a presidential decree vetoing the decisions made a day earlier by Interior Minister Said Siyam of Hamas. As president, Abbas wields considerable power and has the right to approve or reject key appointments.

Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas was to meet with his interior minister later Friday to weigh a response.

Siyam's decision Thursday to set up the new force and appoint Jamal Abu Samhadana as its commander was seen as a major provocation to Abbas, to Israel and to the international community.

Abu Samhadana, 43, was a founding member of a militant group suspected of a deadly attack on a U.S. diplomatic convoy and served a year in Palestinian jails for involvement in militant activity.

The new force was to be made up of militants from various factions. Under the current arrangement, the interior minister controls three branches of the security forces, while the president has direct command over three other groups. However, Abbas is also overall commander of the security forces.

Abbas and Hamas have been wrangling over authorities since the Islamic militant group won January parliament elections. After the Hamas victory, Abbas took control of the state-run media, the Palestinian Investment Fund and the authority controlling borders.

Hamas has complained it was largely left with paying salaries for some 165,000 government employees _ a task it cannot meet because the West has cut off financial aid.

In a letter to Haniyeh on Friday, Abbas wrote that "we have learned through the media that the interior minister issued decisions violating the law. "

"All the officers, soldiers and security personnel are asked not to abide by these decisions and to consider them non-existent," Abbas said in a letter obtained by The Associated Press.