PA security forces warn of permeation of ISIS ideology; Laud Israel-PA-US cooperation
If Islamic State and other extremist groups decide to fight Israel, they will find sympathy in the Arab street.
By KHALED ABU TOAMEHISIS(photo credit: ISLAMIC SOCIAL MEDIA)
A senior Palestinian security official has warned against the spread of radical Islamist groups such as Daesh (Islamic State), saying the Palestinian Authority was working with Israel, the US and others to prevent anarchy, violence and terrorism.Majed Faraj, head of the PA’s general Intelligence Service in the West Bank, said that if Islamic State and other extremist groups decide to fight Israel, they will find sympathy in the Arab street.He said that the Palestinian security forces have foiled 200 attacks against Israelis since the beginning of the current wave of terrorism last October.Faraj, in an interview with Defense News’ Barbara Opall-Rome, claimed that more than 90 percent of Palestinians reject the extremism of Islamic State, Al-Qaeda and the Nusra Front. He said that rejection was largely thanks to the efforts made by PA President Mahmoud Abbas.“Now the number of Palestinians supporting them is very marginal, and this is a success of Abu Mazen (Abbas),” Faraj said. “But if Daesh or other extremist groups decide to fight Israel, they will find sympathy in the Arab street.”Faraj warned that Islamic State was already “on our border; they are here with their ideology; and they are looking to find a suitable platform to establish their base. Therefore, we must prevent a collapse here, because the alternative is anarchy, violence and terrorism.”Faraj revealed that the PA security forces were working together with Israel, the US and others to prevent that collapse. “The experts all know that in case of collapse, everybody will get hurt,” he said. “They’re already in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan, but Ramallah, Amman and Tel Aviv must remain immune from them. We are sure that violence, radicalization and terrorism will hurt us. It won’t bring us closer to achieving our dream of a Palestinian state.”Faraj said he considered security coordination with Israel as a bridge that can sustain a decent atmosphere until the politicians go back to serious talks.He also disclosed that since October, PA intelligence and security forces have prevented 200 attacks against Israelis, confiscated weapons and arrested about 100 Palestinians.