MIDDLE EAST: Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas has reshuffled his security chiefs in an effort to change top personnel before consolidating into three agencies the dozen competing security bodies created by his predecessor.
Mr Abbas relieved of their commands two controversial appointments of the late president Yasser Arafat by making them presidential advisers on security.
The first to be moved on Saturday was Mr Arafat's nephew, Gen Musa Arafat, whose elevation last July to the post of head of the 30,000-strong national security forces prompted a violent revolt.
The second figure to be moved was Gen Amin Hindi, head of general intelligence. Gen Suleiman Halef, a former military intelligence chief, will take over the national security forces and Gen Tareq Abu Rajab becomes head of military intelligence. Police Chief Mahmud Asfur was dismissed and replaced by Gen Husni Rubaya.
