Palestinian security forces widened their control in the Gaza Strip today under orders from President Mahmoud Abbas to prevent attacks on Israelis.
Building on a northern Gaza deployment a week ago, some 2,000 Palestinian paramilitary police began to fan out across the southern part of the territory, turning back the clock to the days of security co-operation and peacemaking with Israel.
Over the past week, violence has dropped sharply in the Gaza Strip, where Mr Abbas is trying to arrange a ceasefire in the run-up to a planned Israeli withdrawal this summer.
But in a sign of challenges ahead for Mr Abbas, Hamas appeared to have made a strong showing in the first-ever municipal elections held in Gaza, seen as a test of strength between the Islamic militant group and the new leader.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said yesterday conditions were right for a "historic breakthrough" on peace after measures taken by Mr Abbas to bring calm.
He said in a speech that if Palestinians worked to "fight terror" after more than four years of bloodshed, then Israel could move forward with the internationally backed "road map" that is meant to lead to a Palestinian state.
Palestinians said that to help Mr Abbas, elected on January 9th to succeed Mr Arafat as president, Israel agreed in principle to pull back troops from West Bank cities reoccupied during a four-year-old uprising and to free hundreds of prisoners.
A senior Israeli official confirmed such a pullout was on the cards but said the government would not approve it until the Palestinians "come up with a proper plan" for implementation.
In a sign of a new US push for peace after Mr Yasser Arafat's death, officials said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would visit the region early next month on the first trip in her new job.