Israel delays promised handover of West Bank town to Palestinians

ISRAEL will delay the handover of a third West Bank town, expected this week, to the Palestinians sources said yesterday.

Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz ordered the Israeli army to put off a transfer of security control over Qalqilya, saying Palestinians had failed to fulfil a pledge to confiscate weapons from militants in two towns relinquished earlier, they said.

Israel had pulled back forces from Jericho and Tulkarm in the past two weeks after promising at a February 8 ceasefire summit to transfer security responsibility for five West Bank cities.