(Ha'aretz) Amos Harel- Israel has given limited approval for Palestinian policemen to carry handguns in West Bank towns. The idea was raised by Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon in January, but Arafat obstructed the move at the time. This week, the Palestinians sought approval in order to fight the anarchy in the territories, particularly in Jenin and Nablus. That worries Israel because IDF troops frequently hunt for wanted men in those two cities, which have the most high-profile terror networks. Specific arrangements will be made at the local level between Israeli division commanders and their Palestinian counterparts. In northern Gaza, where the IDF has been operating to try to prevent Kassam rocket fire into the Negev, particularly Sderot, forces withdrew from the town of Beit Hanun. On Thursday Palestinians fired eight rockets into the western Negev, causing no damage or injuries. There have been contacts between mid-level Shin Bet officers and senior officials in the PA security forces to discuss halting the rocket fire.
2004-08-06 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive