Mahmoud Abbas intends to transfer broad security powers to the future Hamas government, including the national defense branch, preventive security, the civilian police and civil defense, he said on Tuesday.
The national defense branch, which consists of 25,000 policemen, is the largest branch and is defined as the Palestinian army. The other three are subject to the Palestinian Interior Ministry.
"We'll grant Hamas authority over the Palestinians' national security because we need to have one body controling the situation to ensure security. I don't intend to deprive Hamas of what I demanded in the past from Yasser Arafat," he said.
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