On the security front, the negotiators made a lot of headway. According to Palestinian officials, Israel will hand four cities in Judea and Samaria over to the Palestinian Authority (PA) within ten days. They include Jericho, Kalkilya, Tulkarem and Ramallah, the headquarters of the PA. This has not been confirmed by Israel, though senior officials have said the army would pull out when the PA is ready to assume control.