Palestinian security forces pass through destroyed houses at the border between Egypt and Rafah refugee camp southern Gaza Strip. (Reuters)

GAZA CITY, January 29 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Israeli occupation forces gunned down on Saturday, January 29, a mentally retarded Palestinian, a few hours before top Israeli and Palestinian security officials were to confer on transferring security control of several West Bank cities.

Ibrahim El-Shawas, 36, was shot in the head near Khan Yunis, Palestinian hospital sources were quoted as saying by Agence France-Presse (AFP).

His death brings to 4,721 the number of people killed since the start of the Palestinian Intifada against the Israeli occupation in September 2000, including 3,666 Palestinians, according to an AFP tally.

It was the fourth killing in the past week in the West Bank and Gaza Strip although Palestinian resistance operations were largely scaled down since the election of Mahmoud Abbas as president earlier this month.

Days after his election, Abbas traveled to the Gaza Strip for ceasefire talks with resistance factions, which linked any truce to a cessation of Israeli aggressions.

The Guardian newspaper reported last week that Abbas proposed a halt to anti-Israel attacks in swap for international guarantees and a pledge to remain committed to the inalienable Palestinian rights.

Arab countries, particularly Syria and Lebanon, were holding marathon talks with Palestinian resistance groups to broker a unilateral ceasefire, a well-kept Arab diplomatic source told IslamOnline.net on January 15.

Security Control Talks

In another development, senior Palestinian and Israeli security officials were due to meet later Saturday to discuss transferring security control in the West Bank, according to AFP.

Former Palestinian security minister Mohammed Dahlan, tipped to become a minister of Cabinet affairs in the new Palestinian government, will hold talks in Tel Aviv with Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, Palestinian sources said.

They were set to discuss a halt to Israeli military operations in the occupied West Bank as well as the release of some of the 8,000 Palestinians held in Israeli jails.

Earlier reports suggested Israel was prepared to free a first group of 900 detainees.

The deployment of 2,000 Palestinian security forces across the Gaza Strip to prevent anti-Israel attacks has created what Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon described as a chance for an “historic breakthrough”.

Shalon signaled readiness to coordinate with the Palestinians his unilateral plan on withdrawing all troops and 8,000 settlers from the Gaza Strip this year.

Israel also announced Friday, January 28, an end to offensive operations in the Gaza Strip.

“The intention here is to let the Palestinian forces operate in an efficient manner and to allow them to do their job and maintain order,” said David Baker, an official in Sharon’s office, was quoted as saying by Haaretz.

If the quiet continues, Israel will open the Erez, Karni and Rafah crossings, which connect Gaza to Israel and Egypt, starting next week, according to the Israeli daily.

Abbas-Sharon Summit

The envisaged West Bank security transfer is expected to take place following the first summit between Abbas and Sharon, likely to take place within two weeks.

“This meeting should take place a fortnight from now,” Palestinian Premier Ahmed Qorei's top aide Hassan Abu Libdeh said.

He added that Palestinian and Israeli officials will hold a flurry of meetings this week to prepare for the summit.

Abbas met Sharon when he was prime minister under late Yasser Arafat in 2003 but the proposed summit would be the first encounter between Israeli and Palestinian leaders in more than four years.

With Washington backing, Sharon's government severed all contacts with Arafat, who died in a French military hospital in November.