Israel withdraws from Bethlehem and Beit Jalla

Israel has pulled its soldiers and tanks from two of the six Palestinian-controlled towns it invaded in retaliation for the assassination of Tourism Minister Rahavam Zeevi earlier this month.

The Israelis withdrew from Bethlehem and Beit Jalla under severe pressure from the international community to end the invasion that has left tens of Palestinians dead.

The Israeli withdrawal came despite a Palestinian militant attack in the West Bank town of Hadera yesterday that left four Israeli women dead.

The withdrawal is supposed to be a test case for withdrawals from four other occupied towns: Jenin, Qalqilya, Ramallah and Tulkarem.

However, it is unclear when this will happen, particularly after yesterday’s shooting in Hadera. Two Palestinian militants from the Islamic Jihad, who lived in Jenin, opened fire on a group of people at a bus stop, killing four women.

They were subsequently killed themselves by a plainclothes police detective who had been deployed in the area because of fears of attacks.

A videotaped message claiming responsibility for the attack showed the two men, who were both former Palestinian policemen, standing with a picture of a

10-year-old Palestinian girl who was shot dead by Israeli soldiers last week.

Yesterday, residents of Jenin reported that new Israeli tanks had moved to the border of the town from the south and west.

Tanks have been in the town itself since October 18, when the Israeli army invaded its neighbours’ territory to arrest those it believes were responsible for Mr Zeevi’s assassination.

Israel has agreed to withdraw under a US-brokered plan that will also see the Palestinian Authority crack down on violence. Palestinian security officials said they are already patrolling the positions the Israelis have evacuated and have made some arrests.