Israel set to withdraw troops from Bethlehem

Israel and the Palestinians were tonight heading toward a ceasefire deal and it appeared Israel might withdraw its troops from the West Bank town of Bethlehem before midnight.

Such a move would meet an important Palestinian demand for a truce in the 18-month-old Mideast conflict.

US Vice President Dick Cheney arrived to bolster the efforts of White House mediator Anthony Zinni, and the pair held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

This effort comes after one of the bloodiest periods in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israelis are increasingly impatient for an end to the carnage, while the Palestinians have been suffering very heavy casualties and economic losses.

In the most promising sign since Zinni arrived last week, Israeli and Palestinian security officials met three times in less than 24 hours, and officials on both sides said they expected a troop withdrawal from the Bethlehem area.

’’The meeting today was tough and serious, but positive,’’ said Jibril Rajoub, the Palestinian security chief in the West Bank. ‘‘The Israelis are committed to withdrawing from all Palestinian-run areas in the West Bank.’’

An Israeli official said the withdrawal was expected tonight.

Israeli forces have entered more than a half-dozen Palestinian towns and cities this month in a search for Palestinian militants. They have withdrawn from all the Palestinian population centres except Bethlehem and Beit Jalla, two adjacent West Bank towns just south of Jerusalem.

It was not clear whether Israeli troops would remain in a few Palestinian-run areas of the Gaza Strip - a key road and some farmland - which they also seized in recent months, and this was apparently not part of tonight’s emerging deal.

An Israeli pull-out would meet the most immediate Palestinian demand for reaching a ceasefire. However, any breakthrough could be swiftly undone by Palestinian attacks on Israelis, which could bring on Israeli retaliation.

Several previous ceasefire efforts have failed, and even if the two sides strike a deal there’s no guarantee it will hold.

Many Palestinian militants say they only way they can win concessions from Israel is by fighting. And many Israelis believe Sharon should take an even tougher line and step up military operations against the Palestinians.

Both sides see Cheney’s presence as an incentive to reach a truce deal.