Israel rounds up Palestinian students

The Israeli army lifted its curfew in the West Bank city of Hebron today so Palestinian students could take exams - then rounded up about 300 at a college for questioning, witnesses said.

Soldiers ordered male and female students at the Palestinian Polytechnic Institute into separate yards and checked ID cards and questioned them, the witnesses said.

There was no immediate word on whether any students had been detained as part of Israel’s search for suspected Palestinian militants.

Also today, the Israeli army pulled out of the West Bank town of Qalqiliya after occupying it for 10 days, but remained on the outskirts.

The army said it was prepared to go back into the town to carry out raids or to patrol if necessary.

With the withdrawal from Qalqiliya, the army is now in control of six of the eight main Palestinian cities and towns in the West Bank.

The round-the-clock curfew was lifted for several hours today in Bethlehem, but remained in place in other areas.

Israel launched its latest West Bank incursion after a pair of suicide bombings in Jerusalem two weeks ago. No Israelis have been killed by Palestinians for the past 12 days.

Meanwhile, about 4,000 Palestinians marched on the seaside compound of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in Gaza yesterday, protesting against worsening economic conditions.

The demonstrators chanted, ‘‘We want jobs! We want food!’’ in a rare, large public demonstration against Arafat.

The veteran leader has not been in Gaza since late last year. Much of the time, as now, he has been confined to his West Bank headquarters in the town of Ramallah, surrounded by Israeli tanks.

Most Palestinians blame the Israelis for their troubles, pointing to roadblocks and travel restrictions that have devastated their economy during 21 months of Mideast violence.

The Israelis say the restrictions, including a ban on Palestinians working in Israel, are necessary measures to prevent attacks like suicide bombings.