(6 Aug 2004)
Jebaliya, Gaza Strip
1. Palestinian marching at streets
2. Demonstrators holding flags of Hamas
3. Young members of Hamas marching
4. Young Hamas supporters holding Qasam rockets (not clear if rocket is real or not)
5. Children wearing uniform of Hamas summer camp marching
6. People marching and chanting
Gaza City, Gaza Strip
7. Nabil Shaath, Palestinian Foreign Minister sitting next to his wife at a ceremony of children's summer camp
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Nabil Shaath, Palestinian Foreign Minister:
"The Palestinian Authority is trying its best to return Palestinian policemen to their duties in every town and village in the West Bank. I know that this is going to be a difficult task, the West Bank remains under Israeli occupation and Israeli aggression. But the Palestinian Authority is responsible for keeping law and order to protect Palestinian citizens and that means that the police have to be performing their duties on the Palestinian sides of the West Bank and Gaza. The Israelis are making it very difficult but the Palestinian Authority is determined to protect its citizens and to protect law and order in every town in the West Bank."
9. Shaath on stage with children
STORYLINE:
Hundreds of Palestinians, including many young Hamas members, marched in the streets of Jebaliya in the West Bank to celebrate the Israeli army withdrawal from the Palestinian town of Beit Hanoun on Thursday.
Palestinians marched and waved Hamas flags, as music was played and hundreds of other Palestinians watched the celebrations.
Israel will allow Palestinian police to carry arms, security officials said Thursday, a significant step toward shoring up the prestige of Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia.
In the absence of Palestinian police, control of the streets in many Palestinian towns has been taken by armed gangs and militant groups
Israel banned the police in 2001, charging that they were involved in violence.
On Thursday hours after Israeli troops withdrew, Palestinian gunmen broke up a news conference in the Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun, forcing three Palestinian Cabinet ministers to stop speaking and leave town.
The incident was the latest act of rebellion by militants against Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority, which they accuse of being ineffective against Israel and corrupt toward their own people.
Meanwhile in Gaza City, Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath joined in the celebrations.
Shaath told APTN that restoring security would be a "difficult task."
He added: "The Israelis are making it very difficult but the Palestinian Authority is determined to protect its citizens and to protect law and order in every town in the West Bank."
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