Jericho handover on hold
Two meetings between Israeli and Palestinian security officials fail to resolve impasse. IDF says Palestinians demanded Israel dismantle checkpoints around the city
TEL AVIV - The transfer of Jericho to Palestinian security control, scheduled for Wednesday evening, was put off at the last minute due to disagreements between IDF Brig. Gen. Tal Rousseau and Palestinian Gen. Haj Ismail.
Another meeting between the two security officials Wednesday night failed to resolve the impasse.
According to IDF reports, Israel refused a Palestinian demand to dismantle checkpoints around Jericho, prompting the first meeting to end quickly.
'Israel has yet to find political will'
Palestinian sources accused Israel of aborting the meeting. Gen. Haj Ismail, head of the Palestinian Authority's National Security Service in the West Bank, said the meeting failed because of Israel’s refusal to fulfill prior agreements, namely the removal of checkpoints and the free movement of Palestinians in and around Jericho.
Ismail said that Israel also refused to transfer responsibility for the village of al-Ouja, near Jericho. “Apparently, Israel has yet to find the political will to solve these issues,” he said, stressing that the Palestinian Authority is doing the “maximum” in order to resolve disputes with Israel by negotiating.
Tuesday, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas agreed to transfer security responsibilities in Jericho to the Palestinians on Wednesday evening.
Mofaz rejected Abbas’ demande that the Palestinians assume control over complete regions, including agricultural areas, saying the authority must prove it can fight terror before receiving larger areas.
