Fatah picked as Israel's agent in West Bank

Israel has hinted at the possibility of the Palestinian Authority (PA) assuming the role of confronting Hamas amid alleged plans for Tel Aviv to scale back its operations in the West Bank. IDF authorities agreed on the switchover during a Wednesday meeting with the forces loyal to the PA, Israeli daily The Jerusalem Post reported. The move is expected to lead to Fatah gunmen taking over for the Israelis in Bethlehem, Ramallah, Jericho and Qalqilya. The PA claims that it represents the Palestinians. It is nevertheless censured for maintaining a relatively lenient approach toward Tel Aviv and accepting Western assistance. The PA was formed in 2006 when its current leader, Mahmoud Abbas, with the help of Israel dissolved the Hamas government, which had taken over through democratic elections. The establishment has since questioned the Hamas stance against Israeli aggression, confronting the resistance movement and taking its members captive when possible. The recent decision by Tel Aviv coincides with the return of hundreds of PA men which the US has reportedly been training in Jordan. Israeli daily Haaretz quoted Western and Israeli officials as saying that soldiers loyal to Tel Aviv would not hesitate in returning should they sense a pending attack on Israel. Since its 1967 occupation of the West Bank, Israel has dotted the area with dividing walls and checkpoints that severely restrict the Palestinian freedom of movement and has completely closed off 38 percent of the area to Palestinians. The frustration caused by the operations has prompted some aggression against Israelis.