Palestinian security services are ready to assume control of towns in the West Bank whenever Israel agrees to a transfer of responsibility, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei has said.
Palestinians had been preparing to take control in the towns of Ramallah, Jericho, Tulkarem, and Bethlehem this week after talks with Israeli security officials.
A spate of mortar attacks on Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip prompted the Israelis to put the plan on hold, but the transfer is still expected to take place shortly.
Israel has already effectively handed over security control throughout the Gaza Strip, except around the settlements and the border into Egypt.
