Israel looks at withdrawal to ease change in Palestinian leader

JERUSALEM -- Israel will consider pulling back troops only after the Palestinian prime minister takes office and the Palestinian leadership shows it is taking action to stop terrorism, an Israeli official said Friday.

The measures were discussed with U.S officials during a meeting with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's top aide this week in Washington, said Raanan Gissin, a Sharon spokesman. The steps also could include releasing Palestinian prisoners.

Gissin said the pullback would depend on specific Palestinian areas "taking all the necessary measures to stop terrorism." He did not specify what areas, but troop movement could come as early as next week.

The United States has been asking Israel to support the designated Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen. The Bush administration also has said it will present a "road map" to peace -- which envisions a Palestinian state -- once Abbas takes power and forms his Cabinet. That could happen as early as Sunday.

Sharon has said once Abbas takes office he would meet with the Palestinian prime minister -- who has spoken out against the Palestinian uprising.

The blueprint Israeli measures were drawn up in recent weeks by Israel's army and are intended to help Abbas ease into power. The Maariv newspaper said the plan follows secret talks with senior Palestinian officials, including former Gaza security chief Mohammed Dahlan, who is slated to become a minister in Abbas' Cabinet.

Transfer of control

As part of the new measures, Israel's military recommended transferring control in an area of Abbas' choosing to Palestinian security forces, who would be responsible for controlling militant activity there.

The first withdrawal would likely be in the Gaza Strip.

Maariv said under the measures Israel's army would refrain from "military operations that are not essential to the war on terror," an apparent reference to the targeted missile attacks and other killings of militant Palestinians -- which Palestinians say are extra-judicial executions.

The confidence building measures also could include the transfer of tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority.

During 2 1/2 years of violence, Israel has frozen $534 million in taxes and customs collected from Palestinian laborers and merchants. Israel has argued that the Palestinian Authority is involved in terrorism and the money might be used to finance attacks.

The plan also could ease a ban that has crippled the Palestinian economy and permit the return of thousands of Palestinian laborers to jobs they haven't been able to reach in Israel since the fighting started.

Palestinian Cabinet member Saeb Erekat said he hoped to see an Israeli acceptance of the "road map," which envisions a Palestinian state with provisional borders as early as this year.

"What's needed are not gestures," Erekat said. "What's needed are commitments. ... One thing we haven't heard from the Israelis is their acceptance of the road map."

The United States has conditioned introduction of the road map on the transfer of power from Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to Abbas. Arafat has been reluctant to relax his grip on Palestinian leadership.

A congressional delegation met with Arafat and Abbas on Thursday in the first high-level meeting between U.S. officials and Arafat since President Bush effectively boycotted him in June.

The talks, however, were not sanctioned by the State Department.

Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., on a trip to the region with congressional colleagues, said Arafat assured the delegation he would give Abbas real power to lead the Palestinians.

On Friday, the West Bank and Gaza Strip remained under a tight closure after Israeli officials received information that Palestinians were planning attacks during the weeklong Jewish holiday of Passover, which began at sundown Wednesday.

Last year, a Palestinian suicide attack killed 29 people in a hotel in the Israeli seaside resort of Netanya during a Passover meal.