Military cooperation with PA improving in West Bank - Haaretz

Subscribe to Print Edition

Fri., January 25, 2008 Shvat 18, 5768

Israel Time: 02:56 (EST+7)

web haaretz.com

Back to Homepage

Rosner's Domain

Diplomacy

Defense

Jewish World

Opinion

National

Print Edition

Advertising

Books

Arts & Leisure

Business

Real Estate

Easy Start

Travel

Week's End

Anglo File

Military cooperation with PA improving in West Bank

By Yuval Azoulay

Military cooperation with the Palestinian Authority has improved in recent months, even though defense officials yesterday criticized the conduct of the Palestinian Preventive Security Service in the shooting attack near Mt. Hebron three weeks ago. In that attack, off-duty Israel Defense Forces soldiers David Rubin and Ahikam Amihai were killed.

Both suspects in the shooting, who turned themselves in immediately after the incident, were sentenced earlier this week by a Palestinian court to 15 years in prison and were jailed in Hebron.

	Advertisement

Some IDF officers compared the conditions in PA prisons to summer camp. In addition, without a green light from Jerusalem, the Israeli security forces cannot take action to capture perpetrators.

Nevertheless, the IDF enjoys complete freedom of action in the cities of the West Bank. In 2007 the number of meetings between Israeli and Palestinian officers defined as "significant" more than doubled. Before the formation of Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad's government last June, the IDF permitted Palestinian forces to carry out 46 armed operations in West Bank cities. Since June, the number climbed to 371.

Some reservations have been expressed about the defense establishment's policy. One is that these operations should not take place in places with high levels of friction with the Jewish population.

Bookmark to del.icio.us


	Dear Mr. Olmert
	An American yeshiva student asks Olmert to heed secular Israelis on J'lem's fate.


	Work stoppage
	Olmert totally freezes new building in all West Bank settlements.

Today Online


	High Court of Justice to hold urgent hearing on Gaza blockade
	Responses: 406


	Gaza source: Hamas planned border wall blast for months
	Responses: 185


	Canada to skip UN racism meet due to 'anti-Semitism'
	Responses: 215


	PM completely freezes new construction in W. Bank settlements
	Responses: 85


	Rami Livni: Bi-national state would only perpetuate suffering
	Responses: 53

More Headlines
01:25 Policeman killed, 4 hurt in two W. Bank terror attacks


02:53 Palestinians: IAF strike kills two militants in south Gaza


02:47 Defense officials say Hamas planning to launch attacks from Sinai


23:59 Israeli mission in N.Y. displays 4,200 balloons for each Qassam


20:32 Livni: Sanctions can bring an end to Iranian nuclear program


19:35 Yad Vashem launches Arabic Web site to combat Holocaust denial


22:45 Olmert, Abbas set to meet in Jerusalem, discuss Gaza crisis Sunday


00:06 Ambassador vs. Ambassador: Is Obama good for Israel?


23:22 Israeli, Palestinian leaders mull peace prospects at Davos


18:51 PM completely freezes new construction in W. Bank settlements


20:50 Olmert: I didn't tell Vice Premier Ramon to praise my decisions


16:46 Arab League chief: Israeli policy is destroying peace process


18:28 Gaza overlooked by U.S. voters; economy dominates race