modalities of the TIPH, including the number of its members and its area of operation. Letter from Secretary of State Christopher At the time of signing of the Hebron Protocol, United States Secretary of State Warren Christopher provided a letter to Benjamin Netanyahu. In the letter, he explained the policy of the United States to support and promote full implementation of the Interim Agreement. He had impressed upon Arafat the need for the Palestinian Authority to ensure public order and internal security within the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The US believed that the first phase of further redeployments should take place as soon as possible, and that all three phases of the further redeployments should be completed within twelve months from the implementation of the first phase of the further redeployments but not later than mid-1998. Christopher also emphasized the US' commitment to Israel's security and the US' position that Israel is entitled to secure and defensible borders, which should be directly negotiated and agreed with its neighbours. Agreement on the Temporary International Presence The Hebron protocol brought in the Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH) as a third part. On 21 January 1997, the parties signed the "Agreement on the Temporary International Presence in the City of Hebron". A non-military international monitoring group of 180 persons would be established in Hebron. The agreement would replace the temporary agreement of 9 May 1996. The 1996 agreement had provided that as part of the redeployment of Israeli military forces in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, there would the establishment of a Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH). In the 1996 agreement, the two sides invited Norway to send a group of 50–60 Norwegians to act as an "advance TIPH" preparing for the new TIPH to be established following the redeployment. The Norwegian personnel arrived and commenced their operation. When the Hebron negotiations were completed and signed, it also provided that the TIPH would consist of up to 180 persons from Norway, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey, with Norway being responsible for the coordination of the TIPH's activity. The task of the TIPH was to monitor and report on efforts to maintain normal life in Hebron, to provide a feeling of security among the Palestinians of Hebron and to help promote stability. In addition, the TIPH personnel were to assist in the promotion and execution of projects, to