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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| IDF may let PA security forces police Tulkarm |
| 2009-05-23 |
| [Jerusalem Post Middle East] A day after Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu met with US President Barack Obama at the White House, the IDF got to work and began reviewing an American request to allow more Palestinian soldiers to travel to Jordan for training, as well as expansion of the "Jenin model" to other parts of the West Bank. Defense officials said Israel was considering a request by Lt.-Gen. Keith Dayton, the US security coordinator to Israel and the Palestinian Authority, to allow three battalions of Palestinian soldiers - close to 1,000 men - to go to Jordan for training. In the past, battalions trained there have been deployed in Jenin, Jericho, Bethlehem and Hebron. Defense officials also said Israel was considering expanding the Jenin model to the Tulkarm and Kalkilya areas. Under the Jenin model, the IDF has scaled back operations in that city, removed checkpoints in the area, permitted the deployment of US-trained Palestinian forces and allowed Israeli Arabs into the city to boost the local economy. In addition, Israel and the PA are working on the construction of an industrial zone. The Palestinians have asked that the model be implemented in Ramallah, the officials said, adding that the request was under review. By the time the new battalions have completed their training, a decision would be made on the location, the officials said. |
| Posted by:Fred |