Palestinian officers deploy in Jenin

Hundreds of Palestinian police are heading to the former militant stronghold of Jenin to deploy there as part of the Palestinian government's security plan.

The government of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is gradually trying to reassert control in West Bank towns. Earlier this year, Palestinian forces deployed in the city of Nablus.

Some 480 Palestinian police prepared to deploy in Jenin on Saturday, in coordination with Israel.

Another 150 men already in Jenin will also take part in the campaign, which Washington sees as a proving grounds for Abbas' forces.

Their commander Suleiman Amran says it's an important day for the town and that there's ''no chance for troublemakers to return to Jenin."

Israel has welcomed the Palestinian efforts, but IDF troops continue to carry out counterterrorism operations in the West Bank. Palestinian officials have complained that Israel's presence undermines their security plan.

Not-so-great expectations

The campaign will cover a total of 50 villages and is supposed to last three months, a senior Palestinian official said. He said the forces, some of whom receive US-funded training in Jordan, would target criminals like car thieves, and had orders to confiscate illegal weapons.

Washington wants the Jenin campaign to go beyond crime-fighting to combat terror groups - Israel's main condition for implementing a peace agreement.

"We expect them to also fight terror, but our expectations are not too high. Policing and enforcing order are also important missions," an Israeli defense official has said.

The deployment will be similar to the police deployment which began in the city of Nablus about a year ago. The officers – members of the various Palestinian security organizations – will be armed, but will not have any security responsibilities and will focus on the public and criminal aspects.

Defense officials noted Friday that the police activity in Nablus has yielded positive achievements in terms of the coordination with the IDF, including the handling of vehicles stolen from Israel.

"Any activity on the part of the Palestinian police officers in terms of thwarting terror will be welcomed," an

official said. "However, the IDF will continue to operate in the city and in the region as long as it takes. This is clear to all sides."

Defense establishment officials have stressed that the Israeli interest is to bolster the Palestinian security organizations and provide them with freedom of action.

Earlier this month, Israel and the Palestinians agreed that the defense establishment would allow the PA to reopen police stations which had operated in the B areas until the start of the second intifada.

Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report