Israel to hand over Jericho as militants meet
Israel will hand the West Bank town of Jericho over to Palestinian security control tomorrow, boosting cooperation as moves were underway to get militants to agree a formal truce with Israel.
At a meeting last night, Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz and Palestinian Interior Minister Nasser Yousef worked out a compromise over Jericho, officials said.
Agreements on a handover have been reached before in principle, but disagreements over Israeli roadblocks and territory to be transferred prevented implementation. The delays clouded a positive atmosphere following last month’s summit at which both sides declared an end to violence.
In a compromise on Jericho, the Palestinians agreed Israel could keep a roadblock at the entrance to the quiet oasis town in the Jordan Valley for another month. The Palestinians said the roadblock would then be removed, while Israeli officials said no commitment has been made yet.
Israel will relinquish control of Al Awja, a village north of Jericho that straddles a road used by Israelis, and armed Palestinian police will patrol there, Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said.
Israel also agreed to hand over the town of Tulkarem, next to the line between Israel and the West Bank, a few days after Jericho. That would be followed by Qalqiliya, just south of Tulkarem on the Israel-West Bank line.
In all, Israel is to hand over five West Bank towns, but no agreement was reached on a timetable for Bethlehem and Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian government.
Agreement on Jericho and Tulkarem came ahead of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas’ trip to Cairo today for a crucial meeting of militant factions.
Abbas hopes that several days of talks will produce a formal ceasefire declaration.
For now, the militant groups only agree to observe an informal truce, provided Israel halts military strikes, arrest raids and targeted killings of fugitives. Islamic Jihad, the smallest of the three groups, killed five Israelis in a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv on February 25, in response to what it said were perceived Israeli violations.
