Special report: Palestine-Israel Relations

    RAMALLAH, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak has informed Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad that Israel decided to freeze its military measures recently taken in the West Bank city of Nablus, well-informed sources said Thursday.

    The Palestinian sources at Fayyad's office in Ramallah said Barak told Fayyad that Israel will stop its military actions in the city during their meeting held on Wednesday.

    "The talks between Barak and Fayyad focused on the Israeli army military campaigns into the West Bank cities, mainly into Nablus as well as the daily arrests of Palestinians," said the sources who declined to be named.

    The Israeli army recently carried out a series of raids and stormed local charity and social organizations in Nablus, detaining dozens of Palestinians including Hamas lawmakers and businessmen.

    Earlier this week, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas threatened that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) would pull out its security and police forces from the West Bank cities, mainly Nablus, if Israel continues its campaign.

    The sources disclosed that international pressure was piled on Israel to stop its military campaigns, after the PNA held contacts with international parties and the Israeli side.

    The West Bank now stays out of a ceasefire agreement brokered by Egypt between Israel and Gaza militant groups which went into force on July 19 and is scheduled to last for six months in the Gaza Strip.

    Palestinian security forces were deployed in Nablus in November under an agreement between Israel and the Palestinian government aimed to restore order and security there.