Fayyad, Other Officials Participate in Graduation Ceremony of Second Special Battalion of National Security Forces Following Training in Jordan;

Jericho--Prime Minister Dr Salam Fayyad conveyed the greetings and blessings of President Mahmud Abbas, the commander in chief of the Palestinian security forces, to his sons the members of the National Security Forces and the graduates from the second special battalion of the Palestinian National Security Forces, who received training in fraternal Jordan at the graduation ceremony in Jericho.

Addressing the graduates, Fayyad affirmed that the basic rule in the work of the security forces is to ensure safety and security in all the governorates and that the National Authority and the PLO are the home for all the Palestinians and the only body that can carry weapons, enforce the law, and protect the national project.

Dr Fayyad added that that the national projects with all its components is there to end the occupation and establish the independent state of Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital. Fayyad thanked fraternal Jordan where the graduates received a four-month training. Fayyad said: The first condition for ending the occupation is that we all must exert every possible effort to keep the citizens on their land, bolster their steadfastness on this land and exert utmost efforts to provide them with the services that we as authority have to offer, specifically security, daily needs, and other requirements with efficiency and in a fair and equitable manner.

Fayyad affirmed that this is what made the citizens recently feel secure, safe, and enjoying stability, noting that he came from Janin that enjoys stability and security, which enabled him to receive the Netherlands foreign minister in the city, adding that the same situation prevails in Bethlehem and Jericho. He added: The day will come when we will receive official delegation in Jerusalem. Fayyad noted that one of the signs of stability and security is that the investment conference was held in Bethlehem with the participation of 1,500 investors and businessmen.

Al-Haj Isma'il Jabir, deputy commander in chief of the Security forces, said that the Palestinians' will is inflexible. They continue the peace march while safeguarding security. He added that the security plans that were announced by Dr Fayyad are a clear and explicit indication that security is the major concern of the National Authority and the introduction to the establishment of the independent state. He added that the work at the political level is linked to the work and performance at the security level and "your efforts to protect the rights of your people and insistence on rebuilding what the occupation had destroyed, and rise once again. Addressing the National Security Forces, Al-Hajj Isma'il said: The voices of the renegades and the skeptics will not disturb you. We all are certain that you are eager to protect the gains of the Palestinian people, the unity of arms and that all of us support political pluralism."

As for Major General Dhiyah al-Ali, commander of the Palestinian National Security Forces, he said :You and the colleagues that preceded you are the only guarantee for peace,safety, and the unity of the nation for deterring the violators, the agents, the tricksters, and those seeking to sabotage the unity of the nation. You are responsible to defend the values and principles that the nation espouses and you are the Palestinian national army that will settle the battle of unity, affirming to them that they are the mirror of the nation through which the Palestinian citizens sees the homeland.

A honor guard played the national anthem upon the arrival of Dr. Salam Fayyad and Maj Gen al-Ali after which they reviewed the graduates. Several combat exercises were carried out and children from the Scouts of the Ramallah Islamic Club present a bouquet of roses to the prime minister and the guests. Brigadier General Majid al-Fityani acted as the master of ceremonies. Arif al-Ja'bari, Jericho and Ghor governor; Mahmud al-habbash, minister of agriculture; Major General Hazim Atallah, commander of the Palestinian Police; Major Majid Faraj, commander of military intelligence and members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Palestinian National Authority and foreign friends attended the ceremony.

The 650 graduates arrived in the homeland yesterday after completing a training course in fraternal Jordan that lasted four months during which they received arduous training. Maj Gen Al-Ali welcomed in the Al-Muqata'ah, he seat of the National Security Forces in the Jericho and Ghor governorate from where they proceeded in a military march through the Jericho streets to the training camp of the National Security Forces in the governorate.