Force 17

Force 17 (Arabic: القوة 17‎‎) was a commando and special operations unit of the Palestinian Fatah movement and later of the Office of the Chairman of the Palestinian Authority. It was formed in the early 1970s by Ali Hassan Salameh (Abu Hassan).^[1] Initially, the group was housed in building 17 of Alvkhana street in Beirut.^[2]

History

Force 17 was formed by Ali Hassan Salameh in the 1970s in an attempt to professionalize Fatah's intelligence services.^[3] Force 17 was also initially responsible Yassar Arafat's personal security.^[4]

Dissolution

In 1994, the unit was largely absorbed into Yasser Arafat’s personal security force, the Palestinian Authority's "Presidential Security".^[5][2] In 2006, the unit was separated, to become the Presidential Guard as part of the Palestinian Security Services.^[6]

In 2007, a plan to dismantle the remnant of Force 17 and incorporate it into the Presidential Guard of President Mahmoud Abbas was unveiled by Ynet.^[7] The Force was merged into the Presidential Guard and the National Security Forces in December 2007.^[8]

Operations

• September 1985: Gunmen allegedly part of Force 17 stormed a yacht moored in Larnaca, Cyprus killing three Israeli citizens.^[9] PLO authorities at the time denied involvement.^[10]
• December 1985: Force 17 claimed responsibility for the kidnapping and murder of IDF soldier Moshe Levi. His body was found burning near Mazor.^[11]

Counter operations

• On January 28, 2001, the IDF captured six members of Force 17, who were believed responsible for the shooting deaths of at least seven Israelis in the Ramallah area, including Binyamin Kahane and his wife Talya Kahane. Binyamin Kahane was the son of Kach leader and Rabbi Meir Kahane.^[12]
• February 2001, an Israeli helicopter fired a missile killing prominent Force 17 member Massoud Ayyad.^[13]

Leadership

According to most reports Force 17 was founded in the early 1970s by Ali Hassan Salameh.^[14] In 1979 Salameh and his bodyguards were assassinated in Beirut by Israeli intelligence.^[15]

Mahmoud Awad Damra reportedly commanded Force 17.^[1] In 2006, he was sentenced by an Israeli court to 15 years in prison for his role in planning several attacks against Israel. He was released as part of the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange.^[16]

See also

• Force 14

References

1. "Who are Force 17?". BBC. December 4, 2001.
2. "القوة 17والجناح العسكري لفتح". BBC. 1 December 2006.
3. Bird, Kai (2014). The Good Spy.
4. "Palestinian Political Organizations". PBS. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
5. The Palestinian Security Services: Past and Present. MIFTAH, 30 May 2006.
   "Presidential Security: What was Yasser Arafat’s former personal-security force comprised of a highly trained group of some 3,000 officers, now guards Mahmoud Abbas. Most of these men were members of Force 17, an armed unit whose duties included guarding VIPs and securing important locations such the presidential compound in Ramallah."
6. Friedrich, Luethold, 2007: Appendix A, p. 161.
7. "Abbas to dismantle Force 17". Ynet News. 10 August 2007.
8. Roland Friedrich, Arnold Luethold and Firas Milhem, The Security Sector Legislation of the Palestinian National Authority, p. 272; Decision No. ( ) of 2007, 6 December 2007 (3,2 MB). Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF), January 2008. On website
9. "3 Israelis Slain by Palestinians in Cyprus". The New York Times. September 26, 1985.
10. "Israel Asks Cyprus to Extradite Pro-Palestinian Gunmen Accused of Killing 3 Aboard Yacht". Los Angeles Times. September 27, 1985.
11. "Kidnappings of IDF Soldiers". Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
12. "Israel Security Agency IDF forces arrested terrorists suspected of shootings". Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
13. "Arafat aide killed in helicopter ambush". The Telegraph. February 14, 2001.
14. "The Wooing of the Red Prince". Newsweek. May 20, 2014.
15. "Robert C Ames and the death of an American view of the Middle East". The National. June 19, 2014.
16. "Terrorist released in Schalit deal named PA adviser". The Jerusalem Post. January 2, 2012.