Israel Matzav

Defense Ministry wants to transfer security control to PA

The Defense Ministry wants to transfer security control of parts of Judea and Samaria to the 'Palestinian Authority.' Fortunately, this would require approval of the IDF General Staff and the cabinet, which makes it less likely to happen.

PA President Mahmoud Abbas has demanded that Israel transfer security over major West Bank cities and completely halt IDF incursions into them, which have anyhow dramatically dropped in numbers in recent years due to the lull in terrorism.

Such withdrawals were also one of the demands that US President Barack Obama made to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu during their meeting at the White House in July.

One area under consideration is the Ramallah region, which would include Beitunya, el-Bireh and possibly even Bir Zeit, parts of which falls under Area B, which according to the Oslo Accords, is meant to be under Israeli security control until a final agreement.

The IDF rarely operates in Ramallah nowadays and senior officers said that PA security forces were doing an effective job to prevent terrorism.

Bir Zeit is problematic, on the other hand, due to concerns that a transfer of security responsibility to the PA could reinforce the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine’s budding infrastructure in the university town.

“Hamas used to be very strong in Ramallah but already for several years it is not in the city,” a senior defense official said. “Hamas mostly operates today, if at all, in the village areas, not in the cities.”

If we do this and we start getting hit by suicide bombers again (God forbid), can we 'undo' it? You know, like Rabin promised we'd be able to do with Oslo? That didn't work out too well either, did it?

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 5:36 AM