Israeli, Palestinian security officials to meet in Jerusalem

A senior Palestinian official said on Sunday that an Israeli-Palestinian security meeting will be held in Jerusalem on Sunday night.

The source, who spoke to Xinhua on condition of anonymity, said the Palestinian security delegation is expecting to receive answers from the Israeli side with regards to the Palestinian demand to end Israeli military activities in area A of the West Bank.

According to the source, the delegation includes Hussein Al-Shaikh, Palestinian National Authority (PNA) minister of civil affairs.

The Israeli public radio reported Sunday morning that progress was cited in security talks between the PNA and Israel to end the Israeli military incursions in West Bank cities.

A Palestinian security delegation handed the Israeli side an official letter in February requesting Israel to stop its military incursions into area A and to honor mutual agreements.

According to the interim Oslo Accords signed between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel in early 1990s, the West Bank is divided into three zones: A, B and C, with area A being under Palestinian control, B under Israeli security control and Palestinian administrative control, and C being under full Israeli control.

Palestinians have considered the continuous Israeli military activities in the West Bank a major cause behind the tensions and the ongoing clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces that broke out last October, leaving over 200 Palestinians and about 30 Israelis killed. Endit