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| By Israel Insider staff July 3, 2007 |
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After almost two years without such contact, Israeli and Palestinian officials have resumed security meetings, officials confirmed Tuesday.
"The officials met in an undisclosed location on Monday to talk about how to move forward with security cooperation," said spokeswoman for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Miri Eisin.
According to officials, " the talks included discussions on the movement of Palestinian forces and guarantees of safety for security installations during Israel Defense Forces operations," reported the Associated Press.
Security talks between Israeli and Palestinian officials held in the 1990s were ended by the onset of Israeli-Palestinian violence in 2000. They continued intermittently, only to be severed completely after Hamas won Palestinian elections in 2006.
Israeli officials have said that the formation of Abbas' new government in the West Bank following Hamas' violent takeover of the Gaza Strip has provided an opportunity to resume the peace process.
The new PA government is now cracking down on Hamas militants in the West Bank. According to Col. Maher Dwaikat, head of Palestinian Preventive Security in Ramallah, "All of our efforts now are to prevent Hamas from carrying out another military coup in the West Bank."
Israel is also pursuing Hamas. The Shin Bet announced Monday that it had arrested 11 Hamas members in Jerusalem who were connected with using fake charities to direct funds and militant recruiting. According to Israel, Hamas is trying to increase its presence in Jerusalem.
Hamas has criticized Abbas' anti-Hamas efforts in the West Bank, accusing him of teaming up with Israel.
"Hamas's fighters will not be patient for long before these cowardly criminal attacks, which are carried out in full coordination with the Zionist occupation, in a blatant and low manner," declared a statement on a Hamas internet site. |
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