By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Israel and the Palestinian National Authority reached an agreement on Friday, allowing the Palestinians to build 20 police stations in the West Bank in a bid to enforce its security plan there.
It is the first time Israel approved such a measure since 2001. According to the agreement, most of the stations will be established in the B areas, where under 1993 interim peace accords Israel retains the right to deploy troops against suspected militants.
Local Ha’aretz daily said the police stations will be authorized to deal with criminal matters, chiefly in Palestinian villages such as Tufah which is near Nablus, Sarir near Hebron, and Tekoa near Bethlehem.
About 500 Palestinian police officers will deploy in the West Bank villages. Overall security control in these areas will remain in Israeli hands, but Palestinians will have presence to maintain public order and enforce the law.
The agreement was reached at the end of a meeting between Brigadier General Yoav Mordechai, head of the Civil Administration, and head of the PNA Civil Affairs Ministry, Hussein al-Sheikh.
The 20 police stations will come into operation after another meeting between Israeli and Palestinian security officials next week.
During a series of talks with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak presented her with several gestures to the Palestinians, including the establishment of a Palestinian city, the delivery of 25 armored vehicles into Nablus, and an increase of Palestinians allowed to work in Israel by 5,000 people.
About a month ago, Barak approved the deployment of 600 Palestinian police officers in Jenin.