"Following a strict security examination, an individual authorization
was given to few senior personnel in the Palestinian security forces,
allowing them to have armed security due to real life threat," the military
said.
In another measure, Israel has distributed special passes to 190 PA
officials and security officers, from the rank of battalion commander. In
2008, 200 PA officials held certificates to cross Israeli military
checkpoints without undergoing a search.
Military sources said U.S. security envoy Lt. Gen. Keith Dayton has been
pressing Israel to transfer security responsibility for several West Bank
cities to the PA. They said the cities being discussed were Bethlehem,
Hebron and Tulkarm, some of which contain PA troops trained in Jordan in
2008.
"The Israel Defense Forces will continue to operate according to the
decisions made by the political echelon in accordance with security
assessments so as to further
ease life of the Palestinian population in Judea and Samaria [West Bank]
while continuously fight terror and maintain the safety of citizens of the
state of Israel," the military said.
Despite the easing of restrictions, Israeli troops continue to raid
suspected insurgency strongholds in cities under formal PA security control.
On Feb. 25, Israeli special forces entered Jenin and searched the homes of
fugitives. At the same time, three masked Palestinians, carrying guns and
pretending to be Israeli troops, raided a Jenin hospital and held people
hostage as the robbers looked for cash.
"Those who take advantage of the presence of the occupation [Israel] to
carry out
their own actions will receive appropriate punishment," Jenin Gov. Qaddura
Mussa said.
