Palestinian police march into Bethlehem
Palestinian police marched in formation back into the West Bank town of Bethlehem today after Israeli troops pulled out as part of the US-backed road map to peace.
Residents clapped and cheered as the column of officers strode from their barracks towards the centre of town.
The hand-over follows Sunday’s Israeli withdrawal from part of the northern Gaza Strip in line with President Bush’s ambitious plan, which aims for an end to 33 months of fighting and Palestinian state by 2005.
The move out of Bethlehem follows an upbeat summit meeting yesterday, at which the Israeli and Palestinian premiers recommitted themselves to peace and raised hopes of finding an end to the bloodshed.
Israeli troops have occupied the birthplace of Jesus several times during the conflict, once holding the Church of the Nativity under siege for a month.
Senior commanders finalised the details of the hand-over yesterday. The Israeli military said it would be in charge of security for Israelis, including settlers in nearby villages.
Palestinian security forces, meanwhile, “have committed to preventing and thwarting terrorist attacks in the areas under their responsibility,” the Israeli army said. A similar formula has held so far in Gaza.
Speaking in front of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s office before their meeting yesterday, Palestinian Premier Mahmoud Abbas said the turnover of Gaza and Bethlehem would be “followed by pullbacks from the rest of the cities and towns and Palestinian refugee camps”.
It was the first time the two leaders had addressed reporters together at a Jerusalem summit, their third in six weeks.
“Even if we are required to make painful compromises, I will be willing to make them for the sake of true peace – a peace for generations, the peace that we all yearn for,” Sharon said.
Abbas responded in kind, saying: “Enough suffering, enough death, enough pain. Let us stride forward with courage and without hesitation to the future we all deserve.”
Both premiers recommitted themselves to the road map peace plan launched by US President George Bush at a June 4 summit with Sharon and Abbas.
It leads through three stages to the creation of a Palestinian state by 2005.
They agreed to reconstruct committees set up during the first years of peace efforts in the 1990s to discuss issues including security, prisoners and legal matters, officials on both sides said.
The committees were suspended during the current violence.
Abbas also asked for freedom of movement for Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who has been confined to his West Bank headquarters by Israel for more than a year.
Sharon said he would consider letting Arafat move to Gaza, but a senior Israeli official said it would be a “one-way ticket”.
Despite the peace moves, shots were fired today at workers building a security fence near the West Bank town of Tulkarem, the military said.
One guard was lightly injured. Yesterday, a Palestinian opened fire at a West Bank checkpoint and was killed by troops.
There was no claims of responsibility, but some renegade militia fighters have rejected the truce.
