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Israel Cabinet Meets on Security Situation
(Ha'aretz) Gideon Alon and Mazal Mualem - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told the cabinet Thursday that he has made it clear to the U.S. administration that the Israeli policy of striking at the leadership of terrorist organizations will continue "until the Palestinian security organizations challenge the Palestinian terrorist groups." Sharon described Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas as a "chick who has still not grown feathers," and said Israel must assist Abbas in fighting terrorism "until he grows feathers." Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz blamed the terrorist organizations for trying to undermine the diplomatic process that began in Aqaba, and chided the new Palestinian Authority leadership of Abbas and Dahlan for their "unwillingness" to confront the terrorists and take responsibility for security. Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon said Israel is in a bind. While the Palestinians claim that, at this stage, they have no ability to fight against the militants, the Bush administration is demanding that Israel show the Palestinians more understanding. The head of the Shin Bet security services, Avi Dichter, said 70 percent of the Palestinian security forces are under the direct control of Yasser Arafat and they lack motivation to counter the Palestinian terror organizations. He said that if these Palestinian forces were to be brought under the control of Abbas, it would be possible to move against Hamas in weeks. Dichter said the PA has 15,000 armed men in the Gaza Strip who are trained and ready for action, thus the claims that the PA needs time to build up a force before it acts are groundless. (Israel Radio/IMRA) Security officials insisted there is no basis to the PA claims that it does not control the goings-on in the territories. They point to the fact that there were no terrorist attacks during the Aqaba summit, at which time the PA made efforts to prevent them.