In accordance with the provisions of the Interim Agreement and in
particular of Article VII of Annex I to the Interim Agreement, both
Parties have agreed on this Protocol for the implementation of the
redeployment in Hebron.
- Redeployment in Hebron
The redeployment of Israeli Military Forces in Hebron will be
carried out in accordance with the Interim Agreement and this
Protocol. This redeployment will be completed not later than
ten
days from the signing of this Protocol. During these ten days
both sides will exert every possible effort to prevent friction
and any action that would prevent the redeployment. This
redeployment shall constitute full implementation of the
provisions of the Interim Agreement with regard to the City of
Hebron unless otherwise provided for in Article VII of Annex I
to
the Interim Agreement.
- Security Powers and Responsibilities
- The Palestinian Police will assume
responsibilities in
Area H-1 similar to those in other cities in the West
Bank; and
- Israel will retain all powers and responsibilities for
internal security and public order in Area H-2. In
addition, Israel will continue to carry the
responsibility
for overall security of Israelis.
- In this context - both sides reaffirm their commitment to
honor the relevant security provisions of the Interim
Agreement, including the provisions regarding - Arrangements
for Security and Public Order (Article XII of the Interim
Agreement); Prevention of Hostile Acts (Article XV of the
Interim Agreement); Security Policy for the Prevention of
Terrorism and Violence (Article II of Annex I to the Interim
Agreement); Guidelines for Hebron (Article VII of Annex I to
the Interim Agreement); and Rules of Conduct in Mutual
Security Matters (Article XI of Annex I to the Interim
Agreement).
- Agreed Security Arrangements
- With a view to ensuring mutual security and
stability in the
City of Hebron, special security arrangements will apply
adjacent to the areas under the security responsibility of
Israel, in Area H-1, in the area between the Palestinian
Police checkpoints delineated on the map attached to this
Protocol as Appendix 1 (hereinafter
referred to as "the
attached map") and the areas under the security
responsibility
of Israel.
- The purpose of the abovementioned checkpoints will be to
enable the Palestinian Police, exercising their
responsibilities under the Interim Agreement, to prevent
entry
of armed persons and demonstrators or other people
threatening
security and public order, into the abovementioned
area.
- Joint Security Measures
- The DCO [District Coordinating Office] will
establish a sub-office
in the City of Hebron as
indicated on the attached map.
- JMU [Joint Mobile Units] will operate in Area H-2 to handle
incidents that
involve
Palestinians only. The JMU movement will be detailed on the
attached map. The DCO will coordinate the JMU movement and
activity.
- As part of the security arrangements in the area adjacent
to
the areas under the security responsibility of Israel, as
defined above, Joint Mobile Units will be operating in this
area, with special focus on the following places:
- Abu Sneinah
- Harat A-Sheikh
- Sha'aba
- The high ground overlooking new Route No. 35.
- Two Joint Patrols will function in Area H-1:
- a Joint Patrol which will operate on the road from Ras
e-Jura to the north of the Dura junction via E-Salaam
Road, as indicated on the attached map; and
- a Joint Patrol which will operate on existing Route No.
35, including the eastern part of existing Route No.
35, as indicated on the attached map.
- The Palestinian and Israeli side of the Joint Mobile Units in
the City of Hebron will be armed with equivalent types of
weapons (Mini-Ingraham submachine guns for the Palestinian
side and short M16s for the Israeli side).
- With a view to dealing with the special security situation in
the City of Hebron, a Joint Coordination Center (hereinafter
the "JCC") headed by senior officers of both sides, will be
established in the DCO at Har Manoah/Jabel Manoah. The
purpose
of the JCC will be to coordinate the joint security measures
in the City of Hebron. The JCC will be guided by all the
relevant provisions of the Interim Agreement, including
Annex
I and this Protocol. In this context, each side will notify
the JCC of demonstrations and actions taken in respect of
such
demonstrations, and of any security activity, close to the
areas under the responsibility of the other side, including
in
the area defined in Article 3(a) above. The JCC shall be
informed of activities in accordance with Article 5(d)(3) of
this Protocol.
- The Palestinian Police
- Palestinian police stations or posts will be
established in
Area H-1, manned by a total of up to 400 policemen, equipped
with 20 vehicles and armed with 200 pistols, and 100 rifles
for the protection of the police stations.
- Four designated Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) will be
established and stationed in Area H-1, one in each of the
police stations, as delineated on the attached map. The main
task of the RRTs will be to handle special security cases.
Each RRT shall be comprised of up to 16 members.
- The above mentioned rifles will be designated for the exclusive
use of the RRTs, to handle special cases.
- The Palestinian Police shall operate freely in Area
H-1.
- Activities of the RRTs armed with rifles in the Agreed
Adjacent Area, as defined in Appendix 2, shall require
the
agreement of the JCC.
- The RRTs will use the rifles in the rest of Area H-1 to
fulfil their above mentioned tasks.
- The Palestinian Police will ensure that all Palestinian
policemen, prior to their deployment in the City of Hebron,
will pass a security check in order to verify their
suitability for service, taking into account the sensitivity
of the area.
- Holy Sites
- Paragraphs 2 and 3(a) of Article 32 of Appendix 1
to Annex III
of the Interim Agreement will be applicable to the following
Holy Sites in Area H-1:
- The Cave of Othniel Ben Knaz/El-Khalil;
- Elonei Mamre/Haram Er-Rameh;
- Eshel Avraham/Balotat Ibrahim; and
- Maayan Sarah/Ein Sarah.
- The Palestinian Police will be responsible for the protection
of the above Jewish Holy Sites. Without derogating from the
above responsibility of the Palestinian Police, visits to
the
above Holy Sites by worshippers or other visitors shall be
accompanied by a Joint Mobile Unit, which will ensure free,
unimpeded
and secure access to the Holy Sites, as well as
their peaceful use.
- Normalization of Life in the Old City
- Both sides reiterate their commitment to maintain
normal life
throughout the City of Hebron and to prevent any provocation
or friction that may affect the normal life in the city.
- In this context, both sides are committed to take all steps
and measures necessary for the normalization of life in
Hebron, including:
- The wholesale market - Hasbahe - will be opened as a
retail market in which goods will be sold directly to
consumers from within the existing shops.
- The movement of vehicles on the Shuhada Road will be
gradually returned, within 4 months, to the same
situation
which existed prior to February 1994.
- The Imara
The Imara will be turned over to the Palestinian side upon the
completion of the redeployment and will become the headquarters
of the Palestinian Police in the City of Hebron.
- City of Hebron
Both sides reiterate their commitment to the unity of the City
of
Hebron, and their understanding that the division of security
responsibility will not divide the city. In this context, and
without derogating from the security powers and
responsibilities
of either side, both sides share the mutual goal that movement
of
people, goods and vehicles within and in and out of the city
will
be smooth and normal, without obstacles or barriers.
Civil Arrangements Regarding the Redeployment in
Hebron
- Transfer of Civil Powers and
Responsibilities
- The transfer of civil powers and responsibilities
that have
yet to be transferred to the Palestinian side in the city of
Hebron (12 spheres) in accordance with Article VII of Annex
I
to the Interim Agreement shall be conducted concurrently
with
the beginning of the redeployment of Israeli military forces
in Hebron.
- In Area H-2, the civil powers and responsibilities will be
transferred to the Palestinian side, except for those
relating
to Israelis and their property, which shall continue to be
exercised by the Israeli Military Government.
- Planning, Zoning and Building
- The two parties are equally committed to preserve
and protect
the historic character of the city in a way which does not
harm or change that character in any part of the city.
- The Palestinian side has informed the Israeli side that in
exercising its powers and responsibilities, taking into
account the existing municipal regulations, it has
undertaken
to implement the following provisions:
- Proposed construction of buildings above two floors (6
meters) within 50 meters of the external boundaries of
the
locations specified in the list attached to this
Protocol
as Appendix 3 (hereinafter referred to as "the attached
list") will be coordinated through the DCL. [District
Coordination and
Liaison Office].
- Proposed construction of buildings above three floors (9
meters) between 50 and 100 meters of the external
boundaries of the locations specified in the attached
list
will be coordinated through the DCL.
- Proposed construction of non-residential, non-commercial
buildings within 100 meters of the external boundaries
of
the locations specified in the attached list that are
designed for uses that may adversely affect the
environment (such as industrial factories) or buildings
and institutions in which more that 50 persons are
expected to gather together will be coordinated through
the DCL.
- Proposed construction of buildings above two floors (6
meters) within 50 meters from each side of the road
specified in the attached list will be coordinated
through
the DCL.
- The necessary enforcement measures will be taken to ensure
compliance on the ground with the preceding
provisions.
- This Article does not apply to existing buildings or to
new construction or renovation for which fully approved
permits were issued by the Municipality prior to January
15th,
1997.
- Infrastructure
- The Palestinian side shall inform the Israeli side,
through the DCL, 48 hours in advance of any anticipated
activity regarding infrastructure which may disturb the
regular flow of traffic on roads in Area H-2 or which may
affect infrastructure (such as water, sewage, electricity
and
communications) serving Area H-2.
- The Israeli side may request, through the DCL, that the
Municipality carry out works regarding the roads or other
infrastructure required for the well being of the Israelis
in
Area H-2. If the Israeli side offers to cover the costs of
these works, the Palestinian side will ensure that these
works
are carried out as a top priority.
- The above does not prejudice the provisions of the Interim
Agreement regarding the access to infrastructure, facilities
and installations located in the city of Hebron, such as the
electricity grid.
- Transportation
The Palestinian side shall have the power to determine bus
stops,
traffic arrangements and traffic signalization in the city of
Hebron. Traffic signalization, traffic arrangements and the
location of bus stops in Area H-2 will remain as they are on
the
date of the redeployment in Hebron. Any subsequent change in
these arrangements in Area H-2 will be done in cooperation
between the two sides in the transportation sub-committee.
- Municipal Inspectors
- In accordance with paragraph 4.c of Article VII of
Annex I of
the Interim Agreement, plainclothes unarmed municipal
inspectors will operate in Area H-2. The number of these
inspectors shall not exceed 50.
- The inspectors shall carry official identification cards with
a photograph issued by the Municipality.
- The Palestinian side may request the assistance of the Israel
Police, through the DCL of Hebron, in order to carry out its
enforcement activities in Area H-2.
- Location of Offices of the Palestinian
Council
The Palestinian side, when operating new offices in Area H-2,
will take into consideration the need to avoid provocation and
friction. Where establishing such offices might affect public
order or security the two sides will cooperate to find a
suitable
solution.
- Municipal Services
In accordance with paragraph 5 of Article VII of Annex I of the
Interim Agreement, municipal services shall be provided
regularly
and continuously to all parts of the city of Hebron, at the
same
quality and cost. The cost shall be determined by the
Palestinian
side with respect to work done and materials consumed, without
discrimination.
Miscellaneous
- Temporary International Presence
There will be a Temporary International Presence in Hebron
(TIPH). Both sides will agree on the modalities of the TIPH,
including the number of its members and its area of
operation.
- Annex I
Nothing in this Protocol will derogate from the security powers
and responsibilities of either side in accordance with Annex I
to
the Interim Agreement.
- Attached Appendices
The appendices attached to this Protocol shall constitute an
integral part hereof.