Egyptian security team in Gaza as Israel's withdrawal nears
Egypt-Palestine, Politics, 8/3/2005

Seniors of the Egyptian security delegation currently in Gaza Major -Generals Moustafa AL-Behiri and Mohamed Ibrahim met yesterday with Minister of the Civil Affairs in the Palestinian Authority Mohamed Dahlan for talks on the preparations for the coming Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and north of the West Bank.

The delegation also met with the representative of the Quartet James Wolfensohn who is in charge of following up the withdrawal file.

Wolfensohn informed the delegation that there was a progress in his contacts with the Israeli side on persons and goods movement between Gaza and the West Bank.

A well-informed source told Al-Ahram that the issue of the link between the West Bank, Gaza, Port, airport and Rafah checkpoint was not settled so far as concentration is focused on the withdrawal from Gaza.

An Egyptian security delegation is due today in Gaza. The visit is part of Egyptian efforts to support the Palestinian Authority (PA) and people over the coming stage and to help revive the peace process.

The Egyptian team, comprising 20 officers, will stay there until the end of the Israeli pullout from Gaza, well-informed sources said.

The team's task is meant to follow-up training of a Palestinian force formed recently by the PA to police settlements and sites to be evacuated by Israel,the sources added.

On the other hand, the Palestinian Interior Ministry on Tuesday said that it had received an approval from the Israeli side allowing Palestinian policemen and security forces entry into areas from which Israeli occupation troops will withdraw in the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank.

A ministry spokesman explained that the entry of Palestinian security forces will coincide with the exit of the occupation forces from these areas in accordance with the roadmap peace plan.

Tawfiq Abu Khousa said that the Palestinian-Israeli agreement on this score is aimed at enabling the Palestinian security and police forces to control the areas from which the Israeli forces will pullout.

The Palestinian side is awaiting responses from the Israelis about a number of security issues related to the withdrawal process including supplying the Palestinian security forces with arms and ammunitions.

The two sides have reached an agreement on holding a security meeting on Wednesday during which the Israeli side will present the Palestinian delegation to the meeting with detailed maps of the areas from which the Israeli troops will withdraw, added the spokesman.

Previous Stories:
  Abbas meets Egyptian security team   (7/27/2005)
  Shaath: Egyptian delegation exerts intensive efforts to unify Palestinian ranks   (7/21/2005)
  Egyptian mediation, a meeting for Palestinian groups in Gaza today   (7/19/2005)

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