Palestinian and Israeli security chiefs met in the West Bank city of Jenin for the first time in years, Palestinian security sources said on Tuesday.

Palestinian senior officers participated in the meeting, took place in the main Palestinian security headquarters in Jenin, with Israeli army commander of West Bank district Brig. Gen. Noam Tibon and head of civil administration Brig. Gen. Yoav Mordechai.

Qadoura Moussa, Jenin governor, said the main point discussed with the Israeli chiefs was the roadblocks and checkpoints which Israel installed across the occupied territory.

As the Israeli army storms West Bank cities almost every night, the two sides talked about possible deployment of Palestinian security forces in Jenin to stop Israeli forces' operation in the city.

They also talked about the Palestinian military activists who were willing to give up their weapons and end their attacks against Israel in exchange for amnesty.

Meanwhile, the two sides discussed ways of improving the city's economy by providing more facilities to investors and increase the amount of water and electricity that Israel sends to Jenin, according to Moussa.

Speaking to the Israel Radio, Mordechai praised the performance of the Palestinian security forces, saying "entering Jenin with the Palestinian forces for the first time since a long time proves that the Palestinian side was serious in their efforts to reinforce security on their lands."

(Xinhua News Agency August 12, 2008)