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Israeli forces hand over Jericho

Israeli soldiers remove blocks from around a checkpoint in Jericho Wednesday, ahead of a full security transfer of the West Bank city and its surrounding area from Israel to the Palestinians. PHOTO: AFP

Residents of the quiet oasis of Jericho were enjoying a rare feeling during four years of Palestinian-Israeli conflict -- freedom to enter their town and travel to the rest of the West Bank without being checked by Israeli soldiers, after Israel transferred the town to Palestinian control.

The handover of Jericho on Wednesday was to be the first of five town transfers, but disputes hinted at difficulties when more sensitive towns come up for discussion.

Symbolic steps turned practical as Israel removed one of three roadblocks around the isolated desert oasis. Israeli soldiers stopped checking cars entering Jericho -- a boost for the town's economy and for Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, who is trying to show his people he can get results without violence.

Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon declared a cease-fire at a Feb. 8 summit meeting in Egypt. Abbas was in Cairo on Wednesday trying to persuade militants from Islamic Jihad and Hamas to formally join the truce.

News and pictures from Jericho, where residents warmly welcomed Palestinian police in clean, dark green uniforms and red berets after Israeli soldiers packed away their flags and weapons, could only strengthen Abbas' argument that violent resistance has played itself out, and agreements achieve more.

The Hamas electoral threat got a boost in Hebron on Wednesday when the Islamic group swept to victory in elections for the Hebron University student council, indicating Hamas inroads when they contest parliamentary elections in July for the first time.

Also in Hebron, Jewish settlers clashed with police as they smashed a contested building in the volatile city, underlining that Israel will have difficulties controlling its own extremists during its planned evacuation of the Gaza Strip and part of the West Bank in the summer.

Channel Two TV showed video from a recent meeting of Jewish extremists planning to send thousands of Jews to invade a hotly disputed holy site in the Old City of Jerusalem to divert soldiers and police away from Gaza and thwart the pullout.

But in Jericho on Wednesday, the atmosphere was optimistic.

"This is excellent, very encouraging," said Jack Hattar, 30, who owns a general store in the center of town. "Jericho has always lived off outsiders, and now they'll start coming back more regularly, and when they do, business and life will improve for everyone."

While removing its roadblock on the road to Ramallah northwest of Jericho, Israel maintained a presence at the northern and southern ends of the town, checking some cars and people leaving Jericho to try to stop militants. In the past, long lines often formed in both directions at the Israeli roadblocks. Signaling that this was part of the past, soldiers loaded hip-high cement blocks that created traffic lanes at the checkpoint onto flatbed trucks.

Israel also kept control of a main highway running through al-Awja, a village north of Jericho, while ceding the village itself to the Palestinians.

Palestinian police promised to confiscate illegal weapons and hand back stolen Israeli cars in coming days, according to the handover agreement. Israel pledged to consider removing the remaining two roadblocks in a month if the Palestinians fulfill their security obligations.

In a statement announcing the handover, the Israeli military warned that continuing the process depended on "commitment of the Palestinian security forces to a joint fight against terrorist activity."

Jericho has been the starting point for peace processes and confidence-building measures in the past, dating back to 1994, when Yasser Arafat arrived to establish the Palestinian Authority under terms of an interim peace accord.
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