IDF agrees to expanded activity by PA forces in W. Bank towns

Ha'aretz
Israel agreed on Wednesday to expanded activity by Palestinian Authority security forces in four West Bank towns, for a trial period of one week followed by an assessment....The move follows increased action by Palestinian security forces against Hamas and Islamic Jihad infrastructure in all West Bank towns, including arrests and the shutting down of Hamas-affiliated charitable organizations.

...would be allowed to operate freely within the city limits of Bethlehem, Ramallah, Jericho and Qalqilyah from midnight to 5 A.M. Israel had previously allowed the Palestinian forces to operate only in Jenin during the night.

... Some of the new forces to be deployed in the Palestinian localities have been trained in Jordan under American supervision (headed by American security coordinator Gen. Keith Dayton). Three battalions of the national security force and one battalion of the presidential guard are to be deployed, a total of approximately 2,100 Palestinian soldiers.

The U.S. Congress recently approved additional funding for the training in Jordan of three more battalions of the Palestinian national security force, and by the end of the year the Palestinian Authority will have a total of seven battalions at its disposal whose training was supervised by the Americans.

Cooperation has greatly improved over the past year between the Israel Defense Forces, the Shin Bet security service and the Palestinian forces regarding exchanges of intelligence on Hamas and thwarting the formation of terror cells. The IDF has also informed the Palestinians before forces entered Jenin to make arrests.... Full story