Stumbling Blocks Emerge In Hebron Talks

As Israeli-Palestinian talks on a long-delayed Israeli pullout from the West Bank city of Hebron neared the end of their second week on Thursday, several areas of disagreement emerged as stumbling blocks to an accord.

The differences are over a series of Israeli demands to bolster security for some 500 Jewish settlers living in five enclaves in the city of 160,000 Palestinians. The most contentious Israeli demand, according to officials involved in negotiations, is the right of “hot pursuit” after suspected Arab attackers into the Palestinian-controlled areas of Hebron.

The Israelis say this freedom of action is necessary to prevent acts of violence against Jews. The Palestinians reply that entry by Israeli soldiers into an area where the Palestinians are in charge of security is an unacceptable breach of the existing agreement on Hebron.