|
Occupied Jerusalem: Israel has agreed to a Palestinian request to reopen 20 police stations in the West Bank as part of a security drive, officials said on Friday.
Senior Palestinian civil affairs official Hussain Al Shaikh said he secured the Israeli agreement to reopen the stations that were abandoned after clashes in September 2000.
"This aims to enhance security and impose law and order under the Abbas security plan," Al Shaikh said.
Peter Lerner, a spokesman for the Israeli Defence Ministry's civil affairs wing, said officials from both sides would begin meeting next week to schedule the reopening.
The stations would eventually be staffed by 500 new police personnel, Lerner sadid, adding that the new police forces would be expected to focus on crime-fighting.
|
