Israel has rejected a Palestinian request to establish its own army once it has formed its own independent State. The issue was raised in talks last week between Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Queria, who told Livni that the Palestinians sought to establish a regular army.
The request was revealed by Ynet on Monday who said Israel rejected the Palestinian request outright, after clarifying that the Palestinians were not discussing the expanding of their police force but sought to establish a proper army that would be able to defend the independent Palestinian state.
Until now Israel has permitted the Palestinian Authority to deploy Palestinian policemen in a number of West Bank cities in order to maintain the law and order, and has even approved the transfer of a number of Russian armored vehicles for their use, but has rejected requests to supply the policemen with body armor and night vision goggles.
Earlier this month, Israel permitted Palestinian policemen to be deployed in Jenin as part of PA's President Mahmoud Abbas' attempt to assert control of the West Bank. Jenin is the third town in which Palestinian policemen have been deployed after Nablus and Tulkarm.05/19/08
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