IDF, PA security chiefs meet on West Bank flare-ups

Troops nab truck filled with material to build bombs.

By REBECCA ANNA STOIL
palestinian riots 88 (photo credit: )
palestinian riots 88
(photo credit: )
After a week of violent demonstrations in the West Bank in response to IDF activities in the Gaza Strip, IDF commanders and PA security chiefs met Thursday to review the recent incidents and to reach mutual agreements on preventing further flare-ups. Members of the Civil Administration said Thursday that the two parties agreed on the responsibility of the Palestinian security forces to ensure that any protests remain within the boundaries of West Bank cities in order to prevent "unnecessary friction" between IDF troops and protesters. The IDF, in return, said it would try as much as possible to reduce what it termed as "high-friction" activities in the West Bank that could set off greater civil unrest. The meeting, which was held at the Bet El headquarters of the Judea and Samaria Division, was led by Division Commander Brig.-Gen. Noam Tivon and Civil Administration head Brig.-Gen. Yoav Mordechai. It included the participation of all key heads of PA security apparatuses, including Hassen a-Sheikh, coordinator for the PA security services in the West Bank. Such meetings between IDF and Palestinian security counterparts are held once every two to three months, and this meeting was scheduled long before the recent flare-ups. But hours before the two sides met, IDF troops were hard at work overnight in the West Bank, intercepting a truck filled with a material that can be used in producing explosive devices. Troops at the Nahalin checkpoint, working in cooperation with the Shin Bet, stopped a truck that contained around five tons of batteries filled with sulfuric acid, which can be used in creating bombs. The contents of the truck and the vehicle itself, were confiscated, and the driver was arrested for questioning by security services. Security services said the interception of the truck was part of broader operations to prevent the import of raw materials that could be used for creating weapons into the West Bank.