Gaza City, June 27: A top Palestinian security source today said Palestinian and Israeli officials had reached an agreement for an "immediate army withdrawal" from the northern Gaza Strip and southern West Bank town of Bethlehem. "There was an agreement in a security meeting today for the Israeli army to immediately withdraw from Beit Hanun, Beit Lahia and from Bethlehem. The Palestinian authority will take over security in these areas," the source said.

However a spokesman for Israel's ministry of defence said, "there is no agreement on a withdrawal" from the Gaza Strip and Bethlehem.


The source said that the parties also struck a deal to have the main north-south Saladin highway through the Gaza Strip open to traffic 24 hours a day, in addition to the Abu Ajin Road, which lies east of the Kfar Darom Jewish settlement and connects the northern strip to its central region.
The two issues had been delaying an agreement on an army withdrawal for weeks.

The source also said the parties agreed that Israel will "stop the policy of house demolition, raids and bombings and re-open the Karni border passage 12 hours a day."

Karni serves as Gaza's main crossing point for commercial traffic.

Under the agreement, the Rafah border passage to Egypt will also stay open 12 hours a day, instead of six hours currently, and be remanned by Palestinian custom officials.

More residents of the West Bank and Gaza Strip will be allowed to cross into Israel to work, the source added.


Bureau Report