The PPS is one of several intelligence services of Palestine. According to some sources, 5,000 plain-clothed members served in separate units in the West Bank and Gaza in 2006. In
Gaza Strip, PPS security forces were led by
Mohammed Dahlan until he and his soldiers were forced to leave by
Hamas in 2007 after their defeat in
Battle of Gaza. In the late 1990s, the
"Security and Protection Department" or so-called
"Death Squad" was established, aimed at activists of
Hamas and Islamic Jihad. In 2007, the estimated strength was 3,500 in the West Bank and 4,500 in Gaza. SPD worked closely with Israel's Internal Security Agencies in arresting, interrogating, and sometimes torturing Palestinians who were then arrested by Israel. In 2005, following
Yasser Arafat's death, the PPS's Security and Protection Department was disbanded as part of the security sector reform process.
2007 reform In November 2007, President Mahmoud Abba issued
"Decree Law No. ( ) of 2007 Concerning the Preventive Security", which re-defined the Preventive Security. The Law is not approved by the
Palestinian Legislative Council. The Preventive Security is led by the
Minister of the Interior and headed by the Director-General of the Directorate-General of the Preventive Security. According to the 2007 Law, the duties of the Preventive Security are: • Working to protect the Palestinian internal security. • Following up on crimes which threaten the internal security of the National Authority and/or those imposed thereon, as well as working towards their prevention. • Uncovering crimes which target governmental departments and public bodies and institutions, as well as the employees thereat. ==Leadership==