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Jenin: A Dress Rehearsal for Palestinian Statehood?

[New York Times] Ethan Bronner - Until late last year, gunfire was common in the streets of Jenin in the northern West Bank. Armed militiamen used the hospital as a dormitory. Now, newly trained and equipped Palestinian security officials have restored order. Israeli soldiers have pulled back from bases and are in close touch with their Palestinian colleagues. Civilians are planning economic cooperation - an industrial zone to provide thousands of jobs, mostly to Palestinians, and another involving organic produce grown by Palestinians and marketed in Europe by Israelis. Israeli Arabs are playing a key role. The aim is to stand conventional wisdom on its head. Instead of a shaky negotiated peace treaty imposing coexistence from the top down, a bottom-up set of relationships should lead to a real two-state solution. "We got a clear American message that the Palestinian state will start from Jenin," asserted Col. Radi Asideh, deputy commander of the Palestinian security forces in Jenin who have recently received new Land Rovers and AK-47 assault rifles. Gen. James L. Jones, special American envoy to the region, said this week after visiting Jenin: "I see this as a kind of dress rehearsal for statehood, a crucible where the two sides can prove things to each other." Ehud Barak, Israel's defense minister, said: "So far, Jenin is a great success. The Palestinian police have created a different mood there. We need to see money being poured into projects now to keep the momentum going. If done right, we think this could become an example."
2008-09-12 01:00:00
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