New Palestinian force launched over Abbas veto
About 50 masked Palestinian gunmen, pledging their allegiance to the Hamas-led government, held a training exercise on Thursday as part of a new police force opposed by President Mahmoud Abbas. “We promise to God … to be servants of Islam and the Muslims and to give our loyalty and support to the elected legitimate government,” the militants chanted in a field in Gaza City as Israeli drones flew over the area. The exercise was heavy on theatrics as gunmen from the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC), a grouping of militants from various factions, took cover behind trees and jumped from moving vehicles as journalists invited to the event watched. Full Story