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Friday, October 24, 2008

Israel submits security plan for withdrawal from West Bank

TEL AVIV — Israel has offered a plan for the Palestinian Authority takeover of security responsibility throughout the West Bank in 2009, Middle East Newsline reported.

Israeli sources said the plan was drafted by the Defense Ministry in cooperation with the military and has been submitted to the PA and the United States.

They said the plan was drafted amid U.S. pressure on the government of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak to commit to a withdrawal from the West Bank in 2009.

"The Bush administration realizes that there won't be any movement during its remaining months in office," an Israeli source said. "What it wants is a series of commitments that will ensure that we will withdraw from the territories [West Bank] in the next administration, regardless of who wins in November."

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The sources said Defense Minister Ehud Barak ordered a plan for the withdrawal of the Israeli military from most Palestinian cities in the West Bank in 2009. They said the Barak plan outlines the cities and envisioned date for withdrawal.

The plan was based on the expectation that the PA would be ready to assume security responsibility for most or all Arab-populated cities in the West Bank in 2009. The sources said at least four cities would be handed over to the PA — Hebron, Kalkilya, Nablus and Tulkarm.

In October, the sources said, Barak briefed the two U.S. security coordinators — Gen. Keith Dayton and Gen. James Jones -- of the Israeli withdrawal plan. They said the plan was scheduled to be submitted to the PA over the next few weeks.

Under the plan, the sources said, the Israeli military would gradually remove troops and roadblocks around major West Bank cities. The sources said the Israeli model would be the army handover of Jenin to PA security forces.

"The plan envisions both military and civilian efforts as well as Western aid to each Palestinian city," the source said.

The sources said Hebron would be the first test of the Barak plan, also submitted to Quartet coordinator Tony Blair. Israel has already approved the deployment of 700 PA troops in Hebron, regarded as a leading Hamas stronghold in the West Bank.

On Oct. 22, Israeli and PA commanders discussed the plan for the deployment of Palestinian troops in Hebron. No agreement was announced.

"The two sides discussed the Palestinian request to conduct an extensive enforcement operation against law breakers and rioters in the Hebron area," an Israeli military statement said. "During the meeting, the plan for the enforcement operation was presented and the process of coordination during the operation was agreed upon."


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