Israel drafts terms for troop pullback

CAIRO, Jan 12: With less than two weeks to go before premier Benjamin Netanyahu flies to Washington armed with plans to push the peace process moving, Israelis are preparing a document detailing steps they expect Palestinians to take for troops withdrawal from West Bank. The Israeli Cabinet met for three hours yesterday to draft the document which lists in detail what the Palestinians are expected to do for troops withdrawal.

While the Palestinians want a 60 per cent troops withdrawal in two to three phases, it appears likely that Israel will carry out only one withdrawal of 10 per cent. The Palestinians presently fully or partially control 27 per cent of the West Bank. The Palestinians are not happy with the current situation and did not want any preconditions for troops withdrawal. Veteran US envoy Dennis Ross who was on a four-day visit of the region last week did not succeed in achieving any major breakthrough to get the peace process galloping.

Though Ross8217; trip was to lay the groundwork for Netanyahu and Yasser Arafat8217;s meetings with US President Bill Clinton later this month, he did not succeed in changing Israel8217;s stance vis-a-vis troops withdrawal.

Netanyahu said Israel would carry out one troop pullback in the West Bank instead of the three it promised the Palestinians in a US-brokered accord.

Netanyahu8217;s government has also revealed tentative plans to build 30,000 new homes in Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza strip by 2020.

The document being drafted by the Netanyahu Cabinet said among other things that the Palestinians should tackle militants outfits like Hamas. Reports said the Israeli premier also wanted a five month waiting period between the announcement of troops withdrawal and its implementation.