Israeli and Palestinian security commanders failed to reach agreement yesterday on the handover of this West Bank town to Palestinian security control, but decided to meet a second time to try to salvage a deal. The dispute, which threatens to deal a setback to a Feb. 8 truce agreement, centers on the scope of the Israeli pullback, particularly whether Israel would remove the main army checkpoint at the entrance of the town. With a new envoy heading to the region, an American official raised the possibility of US intervention. Plans to hand over Jericho and the town of Tulkarm in the coming days were announced Tuesday, after a late-night meeting between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz. Security commanders met for just 20 minutes yesterday to discuss the details of the Jericho handover. Ismail Jaber, the Palestinian commander, said disagreements remained, and that negotiations would continue. Israeli security officials confirmed the talks had failed but said the two sides would hold a second meeting later in the day. The officials declined to say when or where the meeting would take place.