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Netanyahu Says Security Control of West Bank Is Vital in Any Accord
(New York Times) Isabel Kershner - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday told the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University that under any future peace agreement with the Palestinians, Israel would insist on maintaining security control of the West Bank "for a very long time." He said it had been proved time and again that after the departure of Western forces, local troops trained by the West could not be relied on. He cited Gaza, where Hamas routed Western-backed Palestinian Authority forces after Israel's unilateral withdrawal in 2005, and Iraq after the exit of American forces. The departure of Israeli forces from the West Bank would "probably lead to collapse of the Palestinian Authority there and the takeover of radical Islamic forces, like in Gaza." Netanyahu added that Israel would support international efforts to shore up Jordan, though he called it a stable country with a strong army that is able to defend itself.