Israel ‘initially agrees’ to transfer security control over Area A to PA

Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon said on Tuesday that Israel “initially agrees” to move the security control over Area A to the Palestinian Authority (PA) on condition that the PA intensifies its security activities in the area, Anadolu reported.

Anadolu reported Ya’alon saying: “There is a continuous security dialogue between the Israeli and PA sides… Israel will not accept to absolutely stop entering Area A because Oslo agreement allows it to do this in case of security necessity.”

Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that talks between the two sides to handover security control of the West Bank cities of Ramallah and Jericho to the PA was in the first stage.

Regarding the Gaza Strip, Ya’alon said: “Hamas is building up its military abilities regarding the missile production and rebuilding tunnels.”

Ya’alon also said that despite the decease in attacks in the West Bank, there is still “tension” and noted that the situation in Al-Aqsa Mosque is still “sensitive”, especially during the Passover holidays.

Regarding the Saudi-Egyptian agreement over Tiran and Sanafir, he said that Saudi Arabia had pledged to commit to the obligations made in the Israeli-Egyptian peace agreement.