by Imad Abu Sunbul
JERICHO, West Bank - Palestinians prepared Tuesday to take control of Jericho from Israel in the first of five West Bank security transfers, as Palestinian factions met in Cairo to discuss a formal ceasefire.
After weeks of stalemate, Israel agreed Monday to hand over security responsibility for the town to the Palestinian Authority.
"We are totally ready to take control in the governorate of Jericho. We are ready to assume our responsibilities fully at both a security and civilian level," said Jericho Governor Sami Musallam said Tuesday.
Israeli troops are to pull back from the quiet desert town and two checkpoints in its surrounding area on Wednesday in the first step in a four-week process, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat told AFP.
General Tal Russo, Israeli commander in the Jordan Valley, began talks with Palestinian security officials Tuesday night on finalising the details.
Handing over security in Ramallah, Bethlehem, Qalqilya, Tulkarem and Jericho was a key issue agreed at a landmark peace summit in Egypt early last month.
But Israel`s defence ministry stressed that the Jewish state would not tolerate any release of those militants jailed in Jericho for killing far-right Israeli tourism minister Rehavam Zeevi in October 2001.
Ahmed Saadat, leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and five other PFLP militants are being held in the town under US-British supervision, after being sentenced for Zeevi`s murder.
"If, however, the Palestinians dare to release them, Israel will re-arrest them more quickly than thought possible," said Mofaz.
The seeming breakthrough on Jericho came as the 13 major Palestinian factions gathered for talks in Cairo to decide whether to halt all operations against Israel.
Radical faction Hamas rejected a long-term ceasefire before the meeting even got underway, while its smaller rival Islamic Jihad insisted on Israeli concessions, paving the way for stormy talks.
"Hamas says it is not possible to agree or announce a truce during this dialogue. A cooling down period of several months is possible but not a long-term truce," said spokesman Mohammed Nazal.
Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas, who arrived in Cairo after talks with Saudi leaders, has said he expects a ceasefire to be agreed.
But officials of his mainstream Fatah party told AFP they were "pessimistic" about the outcome.
Opening the meeting, Abbas called on Israel to fulfill its commitments and warned against any delays.
"It is impossible for us to accept to implement our commitments in a unilateral fashion," he said.
"The situation on the ground goes on unchanged, notably with (Israel`s) settlement activity, the building of the racist, separation wall (along the West Bank), the checkpoints and closures," he charged.
"We refuse that Israel goes back to its policy of procrastination and as we are making progress towards quiet and a truce in the interest of our people, we ask that Israel fulfill its commitments," he said.
Egyptian intelligence chief General Omar Suleiman said for his part that Palestinians should "consolidate the current period of calm."
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said all radical Palestinian groups must be dismantled.
"The Palestinians must first and foremost conduct a vigorous fight against terror, break up the terror organisations and stop incitement," he said during talks with Swedish Prime Minister Goeran Persson in Israel.
Nazal stressed that Palestinian unity was the priority in light of Sharon`s latest comments, which he interpreted as an Israeli determination to create divisions.
"Sharon doesn`t want the dialogue to succeed but wants Hamas and other resistance organisations to clash with the Palestinian Authority," he said.
The factions have largely respected an unofficial cooling down period since Abbas was elected leader in January following the death of Yasser Arafat.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad insist on the liberation of more than 7,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and the complete cessation of targeted assassinations of militants by Israeli forces.
"It is difficult to consider a truce without having met Palestinian conditions," said Anwar Abu Taha, a member of Jihad`s politburo.
"These demands are: a withdrawal from the Palestinian territories, an end to all forms of aggression, the closure of the Palestinian territories as well as a halt to assassinations and the unconditional release of all prisoners."
Last month, Israel freed 500 prisoners as part of a series of goodwill gestures following the Egypt summit.
03/15/2005 19:44 GMT