Israel proposes troop pullout as defence chiefs meet

ISRAEL is proposing a troop pullout from two more Palestinian towns in the wake of meetings between the two sides' leaders and US President George W Bush, officials said yesterday.

The hand-over, along with release of Palestinian prisoners, an Israeli security barrier going up along the West Bank and Israel's demand to dismantle violent Palestinian groups were on the agenda for a meeting Wednesday between Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz and Mohammed Dahlan, the Palestinian minister in charge of security, officials on both sides said.

The Israeli Defence Ministry said that the meeting was taking place at a hotel outside Jerusalem.