Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Israel and the Palestinians agreed on the handover of Tulkarem.
TULKAREM, West Bank (AP) -- Israelis and Palestinians reached a deal Monday about handing over security control of the West Bank town of Tulkarem -- another boost for a fledgling peace process.
The handover could help Palestinian officials carry out a new directive restricting weapons in the hands of militants, who insist they'll comply only if Israel withdraws from West Bank towns.
Tulkarem is the second of five towns to be delivered to Palestinian security as part of an agreement to end four years of bloodshed that Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon announced at a summit Feb. 8. Palestinian militant groups issued truce declarations last week that reinforced the accord.
Violence has dropped since the summit. But not all confidence-building measures -- transfer of the towns and release of more Palestinian prisoners -- have been implemented.
New houses approved
Adding to Palestinian anger, Israeli officials confirmed Monday that the government has approved construction of 3,500 new housing units in and around the West Bank's largest settlement, Maale Adumim near Jerusalem, in violation of the U.S.-backed road map peace plan.
Israeli and Palestinian security officers hammered out a compromise over Tulkarem in two meetings Monday.
The senior Israeli commander, Col. Tamir Hayman, told The Associated Press that Palestinian police would be in control of the area as of Monday evening, and the main roadblock at Tulkarem would be dismantled this morning, completing the process.
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