Abstract

West Bank Story

The peace accord signed by Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) last September somehow envisioned Palestinians and Jewish settlers living together for five "interim" years, before the final status of the occupied territories was negotiated. According to the agreement, Palestinians are to start taking control of their lives when the Israeli army begins to withdraw from population centers in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank town of Jericho. A Palestinian police force will take the place of Israeli so idle on the streets of Gaza and Jericho. The Palestinian police will not have the right to stop any Israeli. Measures taken to assuage the PLO, were also minimal. Foreign Minister Shimon Peres announced that Israel would be open to allowing the Palestinians to add to the 8,000-strong police force recently agreed on by negotiators.