GAZA CITY, Feb 4 (AFP) - Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas discussed next week's Middle East summit and ongoing contacts with Israel at a mainstream Fatah party central committee meeting late Friday, the committee said.
Palestinian security forces are also ready to take responsibility for security in the five West Bank cities from which Israeli troops are expected to pull back following the Egyptian summit, the Fatah statement said.
"The committee discussed the situation (with Abbas) and the communication and meetings with the Israeli side, as well as the summit," it said of Tuesday's talks between Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
It also praised the redeployment of over 4,000 Palestinian troops in the Gaza Strip and said Palestinian forces were ready to take over in any West Bank city vacated by the Israeli army.
"The Palestinian security services are ready to deploy in the West Bank cities from which Israel will withdraw, to protect the safety of all the Palestinian people," it said.
"The Fatah central committee supports the measures taken by the security services in Gaza to stop the violations of law, and asks them to continue their work," it said.
The committee is set to meet again on Saturday and Sunday in Gaza City.
02/04/2005 20:24 GMT - AFP