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Friday, June 4, 2010     GET REAL

U.S. general working with Palestinians resigns

WASHINGTON — The U.S. official responsible for the development of Palestinian security forces has resigned.

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U.S. security coordinator Lt. Gen. Keith Dayton, who has been serving in Israel and the Palestinian Authority, has told the administration of President Barack Obama that he would step down in September 2010. Dayton intends to complete five years in the post.

"The general feels that he has served long enough," an administration source said.


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The source said Dayton, a three-star general, was awaiting word of his next posting. His predecessor, Lt. Gen. William Ward, was appointed to head the new African Command.

Dayton has been credited with raising PA security services to their highest level since their formation in 1994. During his tenure, the U.S. envoy focused on developing the National Security Forces and Presidential Guard.

The source said the general, appointed by then-President George W. Bush, had sought to leave his post for at least a year amid tensions with the PA. But President Barack Obama, on the advice of envoy George Mitchell, asked Dayton to remain in his post to facilitate accelerated peace efforts between Israel and the PA to establish a Palestinian state in the West Bank by 2012.

At this point, the White House has not announced Dayton's planned departure. But the general was said to have been spending less time in the West Bank as he prepared to return permanently to the United States.

Dayton, however, was expected to facilitate negotiations between Israel and the PA regarding the transfer of security responsibility for the West Bank. The PA has demanded that Israel transfer full control of such cities as Kalkilya, Nablus and Tulkarm by late 2010. Israel has already transferred security responsibility for the northern West Bank city of Jenin.



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