Al-Quds city, Dec 10, SPA -- Israel is prepared to turn over securityresponsibilities in the northern Gaza Strip to Palestinianforces well ahead of a planned withdrawal from the area inmid-2005, Israeli security officials said Friday. The officials told the Associated Press that the move is meant as a test of the new Palestinian leadership's ability to crack down on militants. The security sources said if the test is successful,Palestinian forces could be given responsibility forsecurity in large parts of the West Bank as well. Israeli leaders have given tacit support to the interimPalestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, whom they consider to bea pragmatic moderate. They said the proposal on new security arrangements wouldbe made to the Palestinians after their presidentialelections on Jan. 9 and would go into effect well ahead ofthe planned Gaza withdrawal. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon wants to pull out of theentire Gaza Strip and four small West Bank settlementsbeginning next July.--SPA1132 Local Time 0832 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/223776