by Hossam Ezzedine
RAMALLAH, West Bank - The Palestinian Authority said Tuesday it was ready to assume control of the Gaza Strip after Israel's planned pullout, as leader Mahmud Abbas accused Israel of dragging its feet over peace.
Abbas spoke just hours before he met Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz, during which it was agreed that Israel would turn over to the Palestinians security control of the two West Bank cities of Jericho and Tulkarem.
"We reiterate our position, backed up by the international community, that the authority is ready to assume all its responsibilities in the zones where the Israeli occupation will pull back," Abbas said in a speech to parliament.
Insisting he was serious about sticking to his side of bargains made at February's summit, he criticised Israel's apparent reluctance to do the same.
At the time, Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon declared a mutual end to hostilities after more than four years of unrelenting violence.
"Israel's reluctance to carry out its promises threatens what we have managed to achieve and plays into the hands of those opposed to the peace process," he stressed.
In his address he accused Israel of "unjustifiably" dragging its feet over promised prisoner releases, the return of exiled Palestinians and West Bank pullbacks.
The transfer of security in five West Bank towns -- Ramallah, Bethlehem, Qalqilya, Tulkarem and Jericho -- was one of the key issues agreed on in Egypt.
After his meeting with Abbas at the Erez Crossing between Israel and Gaza, Mofaz said "in the coming days, we will likely transfer control of Jericho and Tulkarem following a meeting scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday)," between Israeli and Palestinian commanders.
He said the meeting, conducted in a "positive enviromnent," was held "to push forward the diplomatic process, to step up the war on terror and to conclude the transfer of security responsibilities over selected cities to the Palestinians.
"Israel expects the Palestinians to uphold their commitments and to take the right steps against the terror activities coming from the territories.
"We find ourselves in a strategic window of opportunity, which offers a chance for the entire Middle East. Yet the continuation of murderous terror attacks as we have experience in Tel Aviv will not enable the diplomatic process we are hoping for.
In Washington, US President George W. Bush said Israel must help to create a viable Palestinian state and that Palestinians must confront terrorist groups.
"Israel must freeze settlement activity, help the Palestinians build a thriving economy and ensure that a new Palestinian state is truly viable with contiguous territory on the West Bank," he said in a speech.
"Palestinian leaders must fight corruption, encourage free enterprise, rest true authority with the people and actively confront terrorist groups."
Both sides were close to finalising the Tulkarem and Jericho transfers in February, but the talks were frozen after the Tel Aviv bombing.
Although the attack cast a shadow over peace efforts, the international community has remained upbeat since the Egypt summit and the emergence of a moderate Palestinian leadership following the November death of Yasser Arafat.
But leaked extracts of a report on Israeli settlement activity is likely to embarrass the Sharon administration at a time of renewed hope for peace.
Drawn up by a former justice ministry official, the report details financial and tacit support provided by the Israeli government to scores of unauthorised outposts, which it is obliged to dismantle under the roadmap peace plan.
Despite Sharon's commitments to the roadmap, the report said ministries handed over millions of dollars to help finance their infrastructure.
Palestinian prime minister Ahmed Qorei accused the world of doing nothing to thwart Israel and said the Palestinian Authority would appeal to the United Nations to stop settlement activity.
"It is time for the international community to say enough to Israel and work with the same determination and seriousness as on other matters," he said.
03/08/2005 20:32 GMT