Israel agrees to hand over West Bank cities to Palestinians

ISRAEL agreed yesterday to hand security control over the West Bank cities of Jericho and Qalqilya to Palestinians next week in what it called a step to firm up a ceasefire and advance a US-backed peace plan.

Reached at high-level security talks, the deal also offered the Palestinians the chance to regain control over two larger cities, Ramallah and Tulkarm, but Israeli security sources said further terror attacks would scuttle handovers.

The accord appeared to be aimed at salvaging a six-week-old truce that has frayed badly this week after two Palestinian suicide bombings in retaliation for continued Israeli army raids that have killed wanted militants.