Pact Gives Arabs New Roles in West Bank : Mideast: Israel and Palestinians sign deal transferring authority over eight spheres.

Peace between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization moved a step forward Sunday when the two sides signed an agreement in Cairo giving Palestinians greater administrative power in the West Bank.

The accord, part of a deal to expand Palestinian autonomy in the West Bank, was signed by PLO negotiator Jamil Tarifi and Israeli Maj. Gen. Oren Shahor.

But the 23-page document says “all powers and responsibilities regarding law enforcement, including investigation, judicial proceedings and imprisonment, will continue to be under the responsibility” of the Israeli military.

The document stipulates that the transfer will go into effect Sept. 10.

The agreement covers giving authority to Palestinians over labor, trade and industry, fuel, insurance, postal services, statistics, agriculture and local government.

Israel and the PLO are to continue discussing the transfer of authority in more than 20 other areas, giving Palestinians the kind of control elsewhere in the West Bank that they have enjoyed in the town of Jericho and the Gaza Strip.

Israel ceded control over education, tourism, health, social services and taxation last year.

Both sides are believed to be weeks away from full agreement on implementing the second stage of the 1993 Palestinian-Israeli self-rule accord--an Israeli troop redeployment in the West Bank and the holding of Palestinian elections.