Israel has agreed in principle to hand control of the occupied West Bank town of Jenin to the Palestinians to help them secure the region after Israel evacuates nearby settlements in August, Palestinian leaders said.
With a summit between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon approaching on June 21st, their negotiators are seeking to complete security deals stalled for weeks due to ceasefire violations.
Prime Minister Ahmed Korei
Palestinian negotiator Mohammed Dahlan spoke of "diplomatic movement" to make a success of the summit and pullout. The Palestinians are demanding Israel lift a security restrictions on their areas, but Israel says this depends on Palestinians subduing armed groups.
A Palestinian Interior Ministry spokesman said the sides had reached a tentative deal on the basics of a Jenin handover before Israel evacuates four adjacent Jewish enclaves and all 21 settlements in Gaza. He gave no details.
"This will allow a concentration of Palestinian forces in Jenin to take over the areas Israel vacates," he said.
Israeli security sources said progress had been made on handing over Jenin to Palestinian police, but they said no timetable had been set and any move would hinge on security men disabling armed factions in what has been a hotbed of a four-and-a-half year revolt against Israel before a fragile ceasefire took effect in February.
Prime Minister Ahmed Korei warned that Palestinians' ultimate goal of statehood was ill-served by lawlessness plaguing the West Bank and Gaza. His cabinet would quit if it failed to impose order, he said, without giving a time frame.
"Chaos can go to hell. Those who benefit from chaos can also go to hell. Starting from today the cabinet will hold itself to account. If the cabinet succeeds in imposing security and the rule of law, it will stay. If it fails, it will go home," he said in a speech.