Israel gives Abbas forces freer hand in W.Bank cities

By Adam Entous

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel agreed Thursday to give Palestinian security forces a freer hand to operate in four West Bank cities and to limit its own military activities there in a U.S.-backed move to bolster President Mahmoud Abbas.

Palestinian officials said the changes were inadequate because the Israeli army still reserved the right to re-enter the cities of Qalqilya, Ramallah, Bethlehem and Jericho to counter what it called any "urgent" threats by militants.

The announcement coincided with efforts by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ease tensions with U.S. President Barack Obama over stalled peacemaking with the Palestinians.

Israel has rebuffed U.S. calls for a halt to Jewish settlement building in the occupied West Bank. Monday Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak will meet Obama's Middle East envoy, George Mitchell, in Washington to try to narrow differences.

"As of today, Palestinian security forces will be able to operate freely in the cities," an Israeli military official said. Israeli troops would still be able to operate within those cities, battlegrounds during a Palestinian uprising that began in 2000, "in cases of urgent security need," he added.

A statement issued later by the Israeli army said "responsibility for maintaining security in the region has not been transferred" to security forces loyal to Abbas, whose Western-backed government is based in Ramallah.

Officials said the changes agreed by Israel would give Abbas's forces greater freedom of movement around the clock. Until now, Israel limited those movements, particularly at night.

But senior Western diplomats briefed by the Israeli government said the decision to ease restrictions would be re-evaluated after a week.