Jibril Rajoub Role Profile

[Kshitij Dewan <kshity_d1@yahoo.com>]

"Prime Minister Sharon can do whatever he wants by force - build fences and settlements, bomb,
destroy and try to dictate borders. But he cannot beat us by force, and cannot give Israel
security by force".


	Jibril Rajoub is currently the Palestinian Authority’s Head of Security for the West Bank and
believes that resolving this conflict requires cooperation from both states. Long considered a
moderate for maintaining a dialogue with the CIA and Israeli Secruity. He is also a nationalist
who doesn’t believe in religious fundamentalism, so he condemns extremist groups attacking Israel
proper, yet publicly condones violence against Israeli troops in Palestinian territory. His
ultimate goal is for the successful implementation of the two state solution, though his strategy
for implementing it is sometimes controversial.

Rajoub is publicly opposed to Jordanian influence in Palestinian affairs, but maintains close ties
with the Egyptians, the one party that maintains contacts with all Palestinian groups, including
the Oslo rejectionists. Egypt's support is instrumental as it could persuade Hamas, PIJ and the
left-wing paramilitaries to be brought aboard on the Road Map, but only if they are convinced that
Israel is committed to following the Road Map to a negotiated settlement and will allow
international monitors to supervise progress.

	This mixture of beliefs puts Rajoub at odds with factions on both sides of the conflict: Israelis
distrust him for sanctioning “justified” violence against their forces—bombing his house for
suspected involvement in terrorist activities.  He’s raided Hamas leadership thought to be
involved in car bombings of Israel, which prompted accusations of being a CIA and Israeli spy.  In
2002 Arafat fired Rajoub, only to rehire him the next year.  Despite any political backlash, his
strategy for peace seems unchanged: Separate the PA from the extremists in Hamas and other violent
groups, while cooperating with Israel and the international community for peaceful coexistence.  

	Tensions with other Palestinians even extend into the PA itself.  Rajoub is at odds with the
leadership of the Gaza Strip, namely Mohammed Dahlan, head of the Palestinian Authority’s
Preventive Security in the region.  He has had a long-standing rivalry with Dahlan and is
threatened by his growing influence in the West Bank.  Two reasons currently support his distrust,
the first being Dahlan’s security network creeping into Rajoub’s West Bank territory, which Rajoub
believes are there to undermine his authority. Secondly, there is strong international pressure to
combine the multiple security agencies run by the PA under one umbrella, which would likely go
under the control of Dahlan and forcing Rajoub out of power.

Jibril Rajoub was born in the West Bank in 1953 to a prominent farming family. Rajoub was actually
thrown into jail for life for his activities in Fatah for throwing a grenade at Israeli security
in 1968, and while in jail, learned Hebrew and English. Released in 1985 but expelled to Lebanon
in 1988 for the first intifada. Went to Tunis and was allegedly part of a plot to assassinate
Sharon in 1992. He returned to the West Bank 1994 and was a strong supporter of the Oslo Accords.
With his ideas, Rajoub frequently shifted in and out of favor with Arafat, sometimes being
promoted, and sometimes was arrested and called a traitor by the PA. His house was bombed by the
Israelis for suspected involvement in terrorist activities in 2001.



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Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect. -mark twain
When all men think alike, no one thinks very much. -walter lippmann
It requires wisdom to understand wisdom: the music is nothing if the audience is deaf. -walter lippman 
If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough - mario andretti
It's good to shut up sometimes. -marcel marceau 
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