Church bells rang and people lined the streets to welcome Palestinian police forces after the Israeli army left the West Bank city of Bethlehem Wednesday afternoon in an agreement to transfer security control to Palestinians. But the air was thick with skepticism.

Apart from the wailing sirens and honking horns of excited officers in dented trucks, residents of Bethlehem know this move all too well. They know that at a moment’s notice Israeli forces can occupy the city once again. It is a site they have seen before. Although they are free within the city, Israeli troops, barricades and checkpoints surround their borders. Israeli “security” remains tight, preventing people from going or coming into Bethlehem.

Another doubt of progress that looms over the head of Palestine is the lack of resources available to Palestinian police forces. Keeping control on both sides will prove difficult, because there is one gun to every four officers, limited walkie-talkies and lack of proper training for officers. And with tents hoisted up, they are nervous to rebuild police stations in fear of them being destroyed again by Israel. Palestinian officials are trying to remain optimistic because of their determination to build a state and hope for a $30 million financial aid package from the U.S. to rebuild the infrastructure and security force of Palestine.

Israel’s withdrawal from Bethlehem is the second move in a recent deal between Israeli and Palestinian security officials that aims to jumpstart the stalled ‘roadmap’ to peace, which foresees an independent Palestinian state by 2005. On Monday, the Israeli army pulled it forces out of the northern Gaza city of Beit Hanoun and opened the main north-south highway, known as the Salah El-deen road, to Palestinians, which has been closed to them since September 2000.

However, Israeli occupation troops closed down Salah El-deen road once again this morning, blocking Palestinian movement to and from all their cities, villages and refugee camps in Gaza.

Suspicions of the recent progress of peace increased even more today when Israeli death squads assassinated 31-year-old Palestinian Mahmoud Shaower, a member of the Al-Aqsa Martyr’s Brigade, in the West Bank city of Qalqilya. A second member was also shot and arrested. Later this morning, a Jewish settler near Qalqilya killed a 15-year-old boy when he ran over the boy, his mother and two brothers.

The violence and doubts of the past week raise questions on further moves toward peace and the U.S.-backed ‘roadmap.’ In addition, Israeli Defense Minister was reported saying that further withdrawals from Palestinian cities are not expected in the near future.

Yet, despite the drawbacks, Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and his Israeli counterpart Ariel Sharon will meet again on Tuesday to discuss further negotiations in putting the U.S.-backed ‘roadmap’ back on track. They are expected to agree on when Palestinian prisoners will be released from Israeli jails.