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Thursday, June 25, 2009

Israel hands over security to Palestinian forces in West Bank cities

TEL AVIV — Israel has agreed to end military activities in several major West Bank cities, in a move meant to expand Palestinian Authority security operations.   

Israeli officials said the Defense Ministry has agreed to a U.S. demand for an end to Israeli military operations in much of the West Bank. They said the first stage of the plan would terminate all but emergency operations in four West Bank cities.

"The idea is to enable Palestinian [Authority] security forces to work on their own with as little interference as possible," an official said.

Officials said Israel agreed to keep its troops out of Bethlehem, Jericho, Kalkilya and Ramallah. Instead, Israel would alert the PA to any threats in these cities.


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"As of today, Palestinian security forces will be able to extend their hours of operation in the cities of Ramallah, Kalkilya, Bethlehem and Jericho in order to better deal with criminal activity and maintain public order in the cities," an Israeli military statement said on June 25.

The statement said the decision was reached in wake of a June 24 meeting between PA security commanders and their Israeli counterparts. The meeting was said to have focused on coordination between the two forces around West Bank cities.

The sources said the demand was drafted by U.S. security envoy Lt. Gen. Keith Dayton. They said Dayton wanted the 1,500 troops trained in 2008 in Jordan, who comprise three battalions from the National Security Forces and Presidential Guard, to take over security responsibility for major West Bank cities over the next year.

Israel has been wary of the U.S. program to bolster PA security forces. On June 26, the Israeli daily Mekor Rishon reported that Hamas operatives have infiltrated PA forces trained under Dayton. No details were provided.

Regardless, Israel has refrained from security operations in much of the northern West Bank, particularly Jenin. Officials said the Israel Army has long stopped operating on a regular basis in Jericho and Ramallah.

"The Israel Defense Forces wishes to clarify that the responsibility for maintaining security in the region has not been transferred from the IDF, and that the IDF will continue to operate within Judea and Samaria in order to thwart terrorist operations," the military said.

In the second stage of Dayton's plan, officials said, the Israel Army would withdraw from other West Bank cities, particularly Nablus and Tulkarm. They said this could take place in late 2009.

The Palestinian Authority dismissed the Israeli military announcement. A senior PA official said the Israeli move was meant to assuage the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama, which has been pressuring Israel to remove roadblocks and end military operations in PA-held areas.



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