Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz ordered the IDF to delay transferring the city of Kalkilye to Palestinian Authority armed forces.
Mofaz accused the PA of failing to fulfill its promises to seize weapons held by 52 terrorist fugitives hiding out in Jericho and Tul Karem. These two cities were recently handed over to PA control following an agreement reached between Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and PA leader Mamoud Abbas in Sharm El-Sheikh on February 8.
Another reason given for the delay given by Mofaz at Sunday's cabinet meeting was the suspected smuggling of anti-aircraft missiles into Gaza by PA military intelligence agents.
Mofaz said, however, that the planning for the Kalkilye handover would continue. “We have given an order to plan the manner in which Kalkilye will be transferred, but not to transfer it yet," he said.
Kalkilya is strategically located in the Sharon area in the center of the country, just a few miles from Israel’s densely-populated Gush Dan (Greater Tel Aviv) area.
Senior PA negotiator Saeb Erekat attacked Israel for not completing the handover as scheduled. “The Israeli government has no excuse to delay handover of the cities,” he said.
Erekat denied that the PA had agreed to disarm wanted terrorists in Jericho and Tul Karem. He claimed that the terrorists need only register their weapons with the PA.
Mofaz accused the PA of failing to fulfill its promises to seize weapons held by 52 terrorist fugitives hiding out in Jericho and Tul Karem. These two cities were recently handed over to PA control following an agreement reached between Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and PA leader Mamoud Abbas in Sharm El-Sheikh on February 8.
Another reason given for the delay given by Mofaz at Sunday's cabinet meeting was the suspected smuggling of anti-aircraft missiles into Gaza by PA military intelligence agents.
Mofaz said, however, that the planning for the Kalkilye handover would continue. “We have given an order to plan the manner in which Kalkilye will be transferred, but not to transfer it yet," he said.
Kalkilya is strategically located in the Sharon area in the center of the country, just a few miles from Israel’s densely-populated Gush Dan (Greater Tel Aviv) area.
Senior PA negotiator Saeb Erekat attacked Israel for not completing the handover as scheduled. “The Israeli government has no excuse to delay handover of the cities,” he said.
Erekat denied that the PA had agreed to disarm wanted terrorists in Jericho and Tul Karem. He claimed that the terrorists need only register their weapons with the PA.