We’ll see how long this lasts: Israel Completes Handover of Tulkarm in W. Bank.

TULKARM, West Bank (Reuters) - Israel completed its handover of the town of Tulkarm to Palestinian control on Tuesday, unlocking a gate and allowing traffic to flow freely to the rest of the West Bank for the first time in three years.

The Israeli pullback from Tulkarm, days after Palestinians regained the West Bank town of Jericho, was a gesture to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who won a deal with militants last week to extend a de facto truce. …

Israel had promised on the eve of a Feb. 8 peace summit to transfer security responsibility for five West Bank cities and towns, but the process was delayed by disputes over security and a suicide bombing at a Tel Aviv nightclub last month.

The transfer began when Palestinian police took up positions as gunmen fired in the air and car horns honked in celebration.

The deal calls for Palestinian security forces to keep militants in check. Israel, in return, has agreed to end army raids and ease restrictions on movement to and from the town.