The Palestinian Authority (PA) has recently established a special unit to spearhead its battle against lawlessness in the West Bank city of Nablus and nearby villages, Ynet has learned.

Following Hamas' violent takeover of the Gaza Strip in the summer of 2007, the PA began implementing wide-scale reforms, under US supervision, in its security services. As part of the reorganization, security personnel underwent training abroad to deal with the disorder throughout the PA, with a special emphasis being placed on increased cooperation between the various units.

In addition, a new unit consisting of preventive security, police and intelligence personnel has been established in recent months to lead the fight against crime.

In Nablus, which is considered particularly problematic, Unit 98 has been praised for its efforts to maintain order in the city, which had been controlled by various Fatah cells which, according to a former Al-Aqsa Brigades member, "turned the residents' lives into a living hell just as much as the IDF's activity had."

'They stormed dozens of homes'

A senior Palestinian security officer told Ynet that in recent weeks the unit has entered camps and villages that Palestinian security forces had not set foot in previously. In Kfar Qalil, for example, security forces detained three men who are wanted for a murder that was committed in 2004.

Three weeks ago the unit raided the Balata refugee camp following a murder related to a dispute between local clans. The unit's officers remained in the camp for five consecutive days to prevent further violence.

"They stormed dozens of homes, and the operation ended with the arrest of 63 people. The message they conveyed was 'we will not tolerate disorder; no one is above the law'," said the officer.

The Palestinian officer said that 43 stolen vehicles were located during the unit's raid on the village of Rajoub a few days ago.

In accordance with an agreement reached between the PA and the IDF, the unit is permitted to act throughout the West Bank from 5 am to 1 am the following day.

The PA is also working to curb the transfer of funds to Hamas. To this end, money changers who receive an amount exceeding $4,000 are required to report the source of the funds and their destination.

"In the past dealers were not required to report to the authorities, and thus were used to allocate vast sums to Hamas elements in all of the territories," according to the officer.