JERUSALEM, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- The newly appointed Israeli army general in the West Bank met with senior Palestinian intelligence officials in Bethlehem, Palestinian security officials said.
A report in the Israeli Yedioth Aharonoth newspaper Thursday, said Wednesday's meeting took place against the backdrop of U.S. attempts to resume peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
Maj. Gen. Avi Mizrahi and other top Israeli army officers drove through the city streets in three army vehicles, escorted by blue Palestinian security vehicles, occupied by Jordan-trained Palestinian security personnel carrying Kalashnikov rifles, the newspaper said.
Unnamed Palestinian security officials told the newspaper the joint patrol was aimed at enhancing security cooperation between the sides.
An unidentified Israeli security source said cooperation between the sides is better than ever and said Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayed and Brig. Gen. Yoav Mordechai, head of coordination in the territories, meet frequently.
The ongoing calm in the West Bank is proof of the high standard of cooperation between the sides, the newspaper quoted the Israeli source as saying.
