Just thought I'd pass this on

[Jacqueline]

Jun. 23, 2005 17:57 | Updated Jun. 24, 2005 16:33

Bethlehem to be handed to PA next week

By MARGOT DUDKEVITCH

I didn't see any one post about this yet. I found it at The Jerusalem Post website.

Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz on Thursday ordered the army to prepare to handover additional West Bank cities to Palestinian Authority security control next week.

According to Mofaz, the security establishment should be prepared to hand over Bethlehem next week, followed by Kalkilya the week after.

At a meeting to asses the situation at his Tel Aviv headquarters this afternoon, Mofaz stressed the need for the Palestinians to disarm all fugitives and ensure they sign a pledge to refrain from terrorist activities.

Mofaz also instructed the army and defense establishment to make the necessary preparations to demolish settlers houses in the Gaza Strip once they are evacuated in the upcoming disengagement. He noted that the Palestinians would be responsible for removing the wreckage from the area.

Earlier on Thursday, the IDF began removing military equipment from three school complexes in the Jabel Johar neighborhood located west of the Machpela Cave in Hebron in order to minimize friction and prevent confrontations with the Palestinian population.

Central Command officers said soldiers will evacuate the positions early next week, and take up new positions elsewhere in the city. The army set up positions in the school compounds in 2002, due to the escalation in violence.

"It is not an appropriate time to hand this over to our enemies," said Hebron settlement spokesman David Wilder. The hill overlooks the Jewish section of the city and the Tomb of Patriarchs, believed to be the burial place of Abraham.

Wilder added that "this will bring only more bloodshed," since the IDF evacuation will facilitate greater freedom of movement for Palestinian gunmen. Palestinian terrorists launched some of the bloodiest suicide attacks from Hebron including the double bus bombing in Beersheba last August that killed 17 Israelis.

Yousef Tarturi head of the Hebron branch of the Information Ministry hailed the move as "great, because we have a lot of problems in the Old City. But this is just the start there are many other things Israel must do to make our lives easier."

Meanwhile, a day after gunmen opened fire outside a building where Palestinian premier Ahmed Qurei was calling for an end to the chaos plaguing his territories, Palestinian officials said on Thursday that hundreds of Nablus gunmen would move into Palestinian police forces as a way of bringing them under control.

The officials said that under the tentative agreement, 700 gunmen would be absorbed into the security services.

However, Palestinians admitted that even with the Nablus accord, large-scale collection of weapons is not on the horizon.

Matthew Gutman and AP contributed to this report

When will Isreal see that no matter how much land they give the PA there will never be peace because what the PA really wants is not only the land but the death of every Jewish person in the world? My heart goes out to my Jewish brothers and sisters. Thank God that everything even if we don't understand it is in His hands.

God Bless You

Jacqueline

[tsth]

Well, I don't see that this will go smoothly. Just to hear it is heartbreaking.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[EricH]

Even this is under God's soveriegnty. Nothing can happen to us that does not first pass through His hands.

[Guest Zayit]

Yes, more blood poured out, and for what? Never make deals with the devil.