Abu Zayed: `“Israel will withdraw from Jenin before disengagement`

General Jamal abu Zayed, assistant of the minister of interior and national security at the Palestinian authority said that Israel informed the P.A of intentions to withdraw from Jenin prior to implementing the disengagement plan. 

Israel intends to evacuate four settlements in Jenin area, north of the West Bank, as part of disengagement.

Abu Zayed added that Palestinian and Israeli planning teams agreed during a meeting in Tel Aviv on Tuesday night, that Israeli should provide the P.A with the evacuation plan, including dates and timetables, in addition to withdrawing from Jenin in order to enable the P.A to bring enforcements and control the situation.

The Israeli side was represented by General Moshe Kaplanski, assistant chief of staff. 

Also, abu Zayed added that Israel will hand the P.A all equipment which was held by Israel in ports and crossings after the P.A provide Israel with a of these equipments.

Additional follow up meetings could be held whenever needed to coordinate all evacuation related issues.

The next follow up meeting will be held after ten days, while emergency meetings could be held at any moment when needed. The two sides also agreed to conduct continuous meetings between field leaders.  

Abu Zayed described the meeting as positive and constructive, and added that the P.A believes in the importance of these meetings.

Meanwhile, Kaplanski hinted out that Israel might carry out certain attacks, and halt disengagement in the Gaza Strip if soldiers and settlements are subjected to Palestinian fire during pullout.

Kaplanski –Abu Zayed meeting came after a meeting between the Palestinian Minister of Interior Nassr Yousef, and the Israeli defense minister, Shaul Mofaz was held last week.

Yousef and Mofaz agreed to hold meetings on three levels; ministerial, security teams, and filed leaders from both sides.

Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, Abu Mazin, said that if Israel postpones the upcoming meeting between him and the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon, scheduled for next week, tension might rise in the area, since such a delay could reflect lack of seriousness from the Israeli side.

The statements of Abu Mazin came on Tuesday following a meeting with General William Ward, the US special security envoy.