Israel handed over the West Bank city of Tulkarem to Palestinian security control Monday night. Israeli officials decided on the Monday transfer after settling a dispute with the Palestinian Authority over the control of villages in the area.
A meeting Sunday night between the Israeli commander in the area and his Palestinian counterpart ended in a dispute regarding the future of the villages north of Tulkarem, including Saida and Ilar. The Palestinians want to retake control of all the surrounding villages, which were under full PA responsibility (Area A) until September 2000.
Sunday night, Israel rejected this request, saying that the situation in the area did not have to return immediately to that prior to the Intifada, that the process could be gradual. According to Haaretz, the Israeli side said that the Islamic Jihad cell responsible for the February 25 suicide attack at a Tel Aviv nightclub is based in the villages in question.
Speaking earlier Sunday, Israel's Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said that Israel planned to hand over Tulkarem to the PA Monday.
Meanwhile, the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported Monday that Israel intends to build 3,500 new homes on occupied West Bank lands for a residential complex connecting a major Jewish settlement - Maaleh Edumim - to Jerusalem.
