A planned Israeli army pullback from cities in the occupied West Bank has stalled. Talks aimed at turning over Jericho to Palestinian control broke down over the continuing dispute on army checkpoints.
However, an Israeli security source said there would be another meeting ‘to try to reach an understanding’.
The military redeployment, under which Palestinians would impose security to prevent militant attacks in exchange for an Israeli pullback, is key to reviving peace moves following a ceasefire summit on 8 February.
Security chiefs met in Jericho to finalise a deal in principle by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz yesterday to launch pullbacks after a delay caused by a 25 February Palestinian suicide bombing.
However, the meeting quickly dissolved after Israel again balked at Palestinian demands for a removal of all army roadblocks in the region around Jericho to restore free movement between the desert oasis and other West Bank cities.
