Mofaz meets with Palestinian minister
Photo: Gil Yohanan
Israel, PA make progress
Palestinian, Israeli officials satisfied with meetings held in bid to coordinate upcoming pullout
TEL AVIV – Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz met with Palestinian Interior Minister Nasser Yousef Tuesday evening in a bid to further coordinate the upcoming Gaza Strip and northern West Bank pullout.
The Israeli side expressed its satisfaction over progress made in talks between senior security officials on both sides, as well as developments on the ground.
During Tuesday’s session, the two figures also discussed the handover of the West Bank towns of Bethlehem and Qalqiliya to the Palestinian Authority. More discussions on the matter are expected in the coming days.
Sides agree to initiate joint patrols in Gaza
Meanwhile, IDF Planning Branch Head Yitzhak Harel met with the Palestinian interior minister’s special assistant for disengagement affairs, Jamal Abu-Zaid. The two discussed the principles of the expected pullout coordination between the two sides and agreed to reach understandings between security officials deployed in the areas slated for evacuation.
“Israel expects the Palestinian Authority to assume security responsibility and act effectively,” Harel said during the meeting.
Palestinian sources, meanwhile, said a positive atmosphere prevailed in the meeting and “progress was made on several issues.”
According to the Palestinians, a timetable for implementing joint tasks has been set during the session, as well as coordination mechanisms between military commanders from both sides.
The Palestinians also said the sides agreed to initiate joint patrols in several sites in the Gaza Strip and particularly in areas separating Israeli and Palestinian residents. The patrols are expected to commence soon.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian sources added that another meeting had been set up for next week in order to continue pullout coordination efforts
