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Israel hands over army HQ

Palestinians take control of Hebron after 30 years
HEBRON. (West Bank) Jan 17: A young Palestinian climbed up a tali antenna on Israel's former, military headquarters at dawn today, his national flag on a stick tucked in the back of his pants. At the top he planted the banner, then raised a hand in triumph, reports AP.
The moment ushered in a new era in Hebron, the city that had become a symbol of bitter strife. After 30 years of Israeli military rule and three months of tortuous negotiations. Palestinian police took control of 80 l>er cent of the city.
The handover, the first tangible step by Benjamin Netanyahu's government in making peace with the Palestinians.
.was remarkably brief and calm.
• But tensions rose hours later as Palestinians scuffled with Israeli troops patrolling a downtown square adjacent to Jewish settler enclaves.
At one point. Palestinians threw rocks, bottles and potatoes at Israeli troops. Police in riot gear charged through a Palestinian vegetable market next to the square.
After the confrontation, the army declared the square off-limits to Palestinians.
The new arrangement for Hebron will leave Israeli troops downtown to protect the 500 Jewish settlers. Up to 20.000 Palestinians live in the area that remains under Israeli control.
At dawn, the Israeli and Palestinian commanders shook hands, a long convoy of Israeli jeeps pulled out of the military headquarters, and Palestinian police drove into the compound.
"This is the happiest day of my life." a Palestinian police officer shouted, leaning from a window in the headquarters and flashing a victory sign.
In the downtown Bab Iza-wiya district. Palestinian police directed traffic, standing where Israeli troops had manned a checkpoint only days earlier.
Shopkeepers hung Palestinian (lags in their windows. A 15-foot (5-meter) sign declared: "The Hebron municipality wel-comes our leader. Abu Aniniar. using Yasser Arafat s nick-
In the area that remains under Israeli control. Palestinians had mixed feelings. Munther Shaheen, who lives near one of the settler enclaves, said he was thrilled when he got a first glimpse of Palestinian police in his town.
"But when 1 went back to my house. 1 saw the Israeli occupiers in the same position." Shaheen said. Hundreds of Israeli soldiers and police, more than al any time before, patrolled the downtown area to-
Jewish settlers were apprehensive.
"There are going to be attempts at violence and terror attacks, said David Wilder, a spokesman for the Hebron Jews
Twelve settlers standing oil a hill ripped their clothing in a
traditional Jewish expression of mourning. Dov Lior. a rabbi from the Kiryat Arba settlement next to Hebron, read psalms, then used a pocket knife to cut the shirt collar of each man. "This is a sign of mourning over the destruction of the Land of Israeli." Lior said.
Palestinians said they hoped the settlers would leave. "Now we have 80 per cent of the city liberated. We hope that in the nearest future, the other 20 per cent will follow."' Palestinian Mayor Mustafa Natche said.
But Wilder said he and the others were determined to stay and expand their settlements.
Earlier. the Israeli and Palestinian Cabinets approved the agreement Wednesday. After a daylong debate. Israeli's Parliament approved the deal late yesterday by a vote of 87-17. with one abstention.
Israeli and Palestinian negotiators signed the agreement Friday in Jerusalem. It calls for talks on a permanent peace deal to begin within two months and stipulates that Israel will begin its three-stage withdrawal from West Bank rural areas in March.