Israel, Palestinian Authority reportedly drafting plan for transfer of security

July 19, 2007

by R. P.

Israeli and Palestinian officials are drafting a plan to transfer control of West Bank security to the Palestinian Authority in three stages, according to an Israeli media source.

Palestinian security forces in Jenin (archive)

The source reported that the plan would see control over security in Jericho and Qalqilia transferred to the PA in the first stage, while control over Ramallah, Bethlehem and Tulkarem would be transferred in the second and third stages.

The transfer plan would not include Jenin and Nablus, where security issues are the most problematic for Israel.

The report also stated that such a plan would only be implemented after the reorganization of Palestinian security services. Last week, Israel negotiated an agreement with 178 members of the Al-Aqsa Brigades, the armed wing of Fatah, to renounce armed resistance in exchange for temporary amnesty.