Israel agrees to give land to Palestinians

JERUSALEM, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- Israel agreed to allocate some 20,000 dunams (about 7.7 square miles) of West Bank land to the Palestinian Authority for agricultural projects, officials said.

The land is in Area C, which the 1993 Oslo Accords put under sole Israeli control, the Israeli daily Maariv reported Wednesday.

Officials said they hope preparations for the handover will take no longer than 90 days.

The U.S. administration and the international organization USAID proposed the idea, the Hebrew daily said, noting the move requires approval from the Israeli Defense Ministry, which is responsible for West Bank land.

"We are interested in expanding the Palestinians' economic options in Area C," an U.S. official told the paper.

The land is not near any West Bank settlements or the Israeli separation barrier, the paper said.

If the move succeeds, it will boost Palestinian revenues by some $800 million, reducing reliance on international aid, the paper said.

Israel decided to respond positively to the idea to prove its willingness to develop projects in Area C for the good of the Palestinian economy, the paper said.

Area C encompasses 60 percent of West Bank land and the Oslo Accords gave Israel full control of the area.