Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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November 2, 2007

Palestinian Police Deploy in Nablus
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1A1BB14:5F753BCA39991A3B68E7BCD0838598852E7CA1C1B166B639 About 300
Palestinian policemen deployed in West Bank city in a fresh bid to
restore law and order The Palestinian Authority has taken a step
toward resuming security control in the volatile West Bank. As Robert
Berger reports from VOA's Jerusalem bureau, the move comes ahead of
another round of high-level diplomacy.







Palestinian policemen in Nablus, 02 Nov 2007 About 300 Palestinian
policemen have deployed in the West Bank city of Nablus in a fresh bid
to restore law and order. Israel handed control of West Bank towns to
the Palestinians under the Oslo Accords in the 1990s, but the Israeli
army moved back in after the Palestinian uprising erupted in 2000.

The return of Palestinian police to Nablus comes ahead of an
international peace conference in the United States planned for later
this year. Israeli and Palestinian negotiators have been hammering out
a document on Palestinian statehood, and they also renewed their
commitments under the internationally-backed "Roadmap" peace plan. The
plan calls on Israel to halt settlement activity and on the
Palestinians to dismantle militant groups.

So Nablus, which is known as a stronghold of Palestinian militants, is
seen as a test case. Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat.

"This is in the interest of Palestinians: They must maintain one gun,
one authority and the rule of law," said Saeb Erekat.

Israel approved the deployment, saying it is part of U.S.-backed
efforts to strengthen Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. He heads a
moderate government in the West Bank after his Fatah forces in the
Gaza Strip were routed by the Islamic militant group Hamas in a
Palestinian civil war in June. Israel wants to isolate Hamas, which
refuses to recognize the Jewish state or renounce violence.

Israeli spokesman Mark Regev says Nablus is an important opportunity
for the Abbas government.

"If the Palestinians do what they're obligated to do under the
Roadmap, then I believe we could have an independent Palestinian state
in the very near future," said Regev.

The issue of Palestinian statehood will top the agenda of U.S.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who arrives here this weekend for
separate talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders.


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