Israel agrees to give up Tulkarem

Israel agreed on Monday to give security control of a second West Bank city to Palestinian forces after both sides ended a dispute that had ...

Israel agreed on Monday to give security control of a second West Bank city to Palestinian forces after both sides ended a dispute that had delayed the handover of Tulkarem, Israel Radio said.

Israelis and Palestinians agreed a compromise on security arrangements for two villages near Tulkarem, which is due to be handed over following a ceasefire deal, the radio said.

An Israeli military source said officials from both sides were meeting in Tulkarm to finalise the handover.

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Palestinians regained security control over the West Bank city of Jericho last Wednesday, the first of five cities that Israel promised to hand over when Israel and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas agreed a ceasefire on Feb. 8.

Israeli forces had surrounded the cities during the Palestinian uprising which blew up in September 2000.

According to the radio, the deal for the Tulkarm handover calls for Palestinians to regain security control of the entire city which sits on the so-called Green Line boundary between Israel and the West Bank.

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