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Militant West Bank Bastion Now Open to Visits from Israeli Arabs

[Christian Science Monitor ] Josh Mitnick - Once the cradle of suicide bombers, Jenin in the northern West Bank now sees its militant gangs subdued and local police units fighting crime. Prodded by the U.S., the Israeli army and a reinforced Palestinian security force have tightened their security cooperation, attracting a stream of foreign dignitaries who are directing millions of dollars of aid to stoke renewed economic prosperity in the region. For nearly a year, the local branch of the Aqsa Martyr's Brigades has complied with a program that gives them amnesty from arrest in return for a promise to give up their weapons. It's a pretty big deal," says David Makovsky, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute. "Jenin was the archetype during the uprising as the place that was the most dangerous. Now, ironically, it is the most quiet area."
2008-06-06 01:00:00
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