They’re Mahmoud Abbas’ enforcers — well-trained, disciplined and absolutely loyal to the Palestinian president. The 3,500-strong Presidential Guard protects Abbas, patrols the volatile Gaza-Egypt border and has taken on Hamas militiamen in street clashes. With tensions between Abbas and the Islamic militant group Hamas on the rise, the U.S. is proposing spending millions of dollars to increase the elite force to 6,000 and to widen its mandate. Full Story