Abbas: Israel reneging on its promises
Reports say president complained to Rice Israel has backed away from previous understandings with PA, while Palestinian security forces making efforts to fight terror. Earlier, PA security forces seize dozens of home-made munitions, explosive devices
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to update her on preparations for a US-hosted Mideast conference later this month, and Palestinian officials said Saturday he complained that Israel backed away from previous understandings.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that during her latest Mideast trip earlier this week, Rice secured support for setting up a three-way committee - with top Israeli, Palestinian and US officials - that would monitor implementation of short-term peace obligations by both sides.
Earlier, Palestinian security forces have seized explosive devices and home-made munitions as part of a campaign to curb militant actions in the West Bank city of Nablus, the local police chief said on Saturday.
Since the start of the month hundreds of Palestinian security officers have deployed in Nablus in what is planned as the first stage of a Western-backed drive to improve law and order ahead of a peace conference with Israel.
"The police and other security forces have seized dozens of suspicious objects and home-made explosive devices...We found more than 100 devices and suspect objects hidden in various places and we have detonated many of them," Police chief Ahmad Sharqawi told Reuters.
Israel, which is trying to bolster Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas against his Hamas rivals, approved the deployment in the flashpoint city. If it is successful, Palestinian forces could deploy in other West Bank towns, Israeli officials say.
Nablus, home to 200,000 Palestinians, has been a bastion for militants since a Palestinian uprising, or Intifada, began in 2000.
The al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, Fatah's armed wing, said its members are planning to transfer additional weapons caches to the Palestinian police in a bid to facilitate the implementation of the Palestinian Authority's security plan, which commenced some three weeks ago.
A Palestinian security source told Ynet that the plan's success in Nablus would have a positive effect on the situation throughout the entire West Bank.
AP and Reuters contributed to the report
