TEL AVIV: Israel indefinitely extended on Wednesday a freeze on handovers of West Bank cities to Palestinian security control, accusing the Palestinians of poor faith in peacemaking for failing to disarm militants. Palestinian officials responded by urging Israel to hold to agreements under a February ceasefire — including the handover of some West Bank cities — but they took differing tacks on how to handle around 50 gunmen on the Jewish state’s wanted list.
Palestinians fear an internal crackdown could undermine moderate President Mahmoud Abbas. While one official said some weapons would be confiscated, another said the truce deal only required militants not to be armed in public.
Under the ceasefire, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon agreed to pull back forces from five West Bank cities re-entered during more than four years of an armed uprising, a gesture billed as boosting Abbas’s domestic standing. —Reuters
