<%@LANGUAGE="VBSCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> WorldTribune.com: Mobile — U.S. pressing Israel to relinquish West Bank security to Palestinians

U.S. pressing Israel to relinquish West Bank security to Palestinians

Tuesday, May 19, 2009   E-Mail this story   Free Headline Alerts

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is urging Israel to reduce its military presence in the West Bank.

Officials said the State Department has approved plans for the transfer of security responsibility from the Israel Army to the Palestinian Authority in 2009. They said the plans, drafted by U.S. security coordinator Lt. Gen. Keith Dayton, envisioned accelerated PA deployment in the West Bank.

"We're working closely with Israeli military commanders in the West Bank to explore options to further reduce the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] footprint as the Palestinian capability and proven abilities grow," Dayton said.

In a May 7 address to the Washington Institute, Dayton said the United States has overseen the training of 1,500 PA cadets at the Jordan International Police Training Center outside Amman. He said another 1,500 officers were being prepared to be sent to Jordan.

Dayton said the most likely area for the expansion of PA security control would be the northern West Bank. He said the Israel Army has been impressed with the performance of the PA National Security Forces around Jenin.

"There has been progress already — I want to make sure you know that — as far as the IDF efforts to present a reduced Israeli security presence, especially in the north," Dayton said.

Officials said the U.S. plans also include the enhancement of the PA Civil Defense Agency. They said a British team under Dayton has been working with PA emergency services, including firefighters and ambulances.

"We also have something in our pocket called the West Bank Training Initiative where we have plans to continue a series of courses in the West Bank on logistics, leadership, first aid, maintenance, English language, battalion staff training, and driver education," Dayton said. "These are led by our British and Turkish officers with an eye to eventually turning this over to the Palestinians themselves."

Dayton said the three newly-trained PA security battalions have demonstrated effectiveness in the southern West Bank, particularly Hebron. He said both Israeli military commanders as well as the major clans in Hebron were expressing satisfaction with the bolstered PA security presence.

"Across the West Bank, these security campaigns have featured clamping down on armed gangs amid a visible police presence, dismantling illegal militias, working against illegal Hamas activities, and focusing on the safety and security of Palestinian citizens," Dayton said.

Still, the general said PA security forces continued to face a significant threat from Hamas. Dayton said PA forces would require help in counter-insurgency, border security and crisis management.

"Very serious work needs to be done on terrorism, and we are actively exploring options with the Palestinians, with the Jordanians and with the Israelis," Dayton said.

Michael Herzog, chief of staff to Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, agreed that PA security forces have improved significantly over the last year. But he said PA security forces were far from ready from assuming full security responsibility in the West Bank.

"Those three [PA] battalions that have already finished their training and deployed in the West Bank are doing a good job," Herzog said. "It's not that they can assume full security responsibility in the West Bank, but we are on the right way. And for the first time, I see some sense of professional pride there that we've never seen in these forces."

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