LONDON, June 13: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Tuesday he has given a green light to a transfer of weapons to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas’s personal security force so it can tackle Hamas. The light weapons, from Jordan, are to enable Abbas ‘to cope with Hamas’, the group that leads the Palestinian government, Olmert said at the British parliament in London.

His announcement followed a decision in principle by the Israeli authorities, revealed on May 25, to authorise the supply of light weapons to Abbas’s 3,000-strong presidential guard, known as Force 17.

“We want to strengthen Abu Mazen so that he will be able to cope with Hamas,” said the Israeli leader.

“Despite the tension and the firing of Qassam rockets, I ordered yesterday the transfer of arms and munitions to chairman Abu Mazen in order to strengthen the presidential guard so he can strengthen his forces against Hamas. I did it because we are running out of time and we need to help Abu Mazen.”—AFP