Palestinian source: PA to take control of Nablus soon
Security official tells Ynet 500 security personnel to enter Nablus to reinforce PA forces currently there; US general visits West Bank city to monitor transfer
US Security Coordinator, General Keith Dayton, visited the Palestinian city Thursday to probe the PA's readiness to take responsibility for the security of the city.
The source said that Dayton promised to enable the security forces to enter the city and to properly equip them so that they could successfully police the city.
Dayton arrived to Nablus a few weeks after disagreements arose between Israeli and Palestinians over the proposed increase in PA presence in the city.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak told US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that the Palestinians have not yet managed to carry out whats been asked of them—to deploy 500 security people in Nablus.
The Palestinians claim that Israel has been delaying the entry of the security forces and that on Tuesday a groups of PA personnel attempting to enter the city was turned away by IDF soldiers at the Hawara checkpoint south of the city.
The PA blamed Israel for seeking to make then fail in their mission. According to the Palestinian source, General Dayton said that Thursday marks the beginning of the establishment of a Palestinian state. "He led us to believe that the Palestinian state will be established from Nablus," the source added.
