Israeli pull-out of West Bank 'on hold'

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has put his plans for a unilateral pull-out from much of the West Bank on hold for now, but has not abandoned the idea altogether, a Cabinet minister said today, confirming a newspaper report.

The Haaretz daily said Olmert told Cabinet ministers this week that in light of the Israel-Hezbollah war, the pullout was no longer his top agenda. Support in Israel for unilateral moves appears to be dwindling after troops waged war this summer in two territories Israel left on its own, without a peace deal - Lebanon and Gaza.