Israel to hand over Jenin before pull-out
Israel has agreed to hand over the West Bank town of Jenin to the Palestinians before withdrawing from four nearby West Bank settlements and the Gaza Strip this summer, the Palestinian Interior Ministry said today.
Jenin is a stronghold for Palestinian militants, and was not one of the five towns Israel agreed to transfer under a February cease-fire package, but Israel agreed to pull out of Jenin ahead of the summer withdrawal from Gaza and the northern West Bank so Palestinian security forces can take control of the evacuated West Bank settlements, ministry spokesman Tawfiq Abu Khoussa said.
From a position in Jenin, Palestinian police would be better able to keep militants and looters from taking over the settlements once Israel withdraws.
Israeli security officials confirmed the handover was discussed at the meeting. No timetable has been set.
Separately, a Palestinian security official said there were “serious” talks between the two sides on the handover of two of the five towns that were part of the summit package, Qalqiliya and Bethlehem. He said no timetable had been set.
In a February truce agreement with the Palestinians, Israel pledged to give them control of Jericho, Tulkarem, Qalqiliya, Bethlehem and Ramallah.
It has so far handed over only Jericho and Tulkarem, saying that Palestinian security forces had not done enough to stop militant attacks against Israelis.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas are expected to discuss the transfer of Palestinian towns at a June 21 summit.
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