FATAH PUT US TRAINING TO GOOD USE--AND STILL MIGHT.

American-run programs that train Fatah militias were instrumental in the "success" of the Palestinian intifada that began in 2000, a senior Fatah militant told The New York Sun.

"I do not think that the operations of the Palestinian resistance would have been so successful and would have killed more than one thousand Israelis since 2000 and defeated the Israelis in Gaza without these [American] trainings," a senior officer of President Abbas's Force 17 Presidential Guard unit, Abu Yousuf, said.

America has longstanding training programs at a base in the West Bank city of Jericho for members of Force 17, which serves as de facto police units in the West Bank, and for another major Fatah security force, the Preventative Security Services.

This weekend diplomatic security officials announced that the State Department will begin training Force 17 again this year in an effort to bolster Mr. Abbas against Hamas, which took over the Gaza Strip in June when the terror group easily defeated American-backed Fatah forces in the territory.

Using weapons and training against Israel is a favorite topic of Abu Yousuf, who is also a member of Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades. When the US in January made clear its intent to provide weapons to bolster Abbas--Abu Yousuf was there:

Abu Yousuf said the American weapons shipments may be shared with other terror
groups. He said that during large confrontations with Israel, such as the Jewish
state's 2002 anti-terror raid in Jenin, Fatah distributed weapons to Hamas and
Islamic Jihad.

Last year in June, World Net Daily reported:

Weapons transferred last week by Israel to Force 17, the presidential guard
units of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, will be utilized for
attacks against Jews, a senior member of Force 17 told WorldNetDaily in an
exclusive interview today.

The militant, Abu Yousuf, hinted the weapons already were used in two
shooting attacks the past few days that killed one Israeli civilian and wounded
another.

You know, I do think Abu Yousuf is trying to tell us something.
Ummm, anyone listening?

Technorati Tag: Israel and Abu Yousuf and Fatah.