The Associated Press
Palestinian men and boys surrender to Israeli forces Monday in the old city of the northern West Bank town of Nablus.

Israeli troops begin pullout in two towns, invade another

LAURA KING, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Originally published Tuesday, April 9, 2002

NABLUS, West Bank -- After yet another stern warning from President Bush and under increasing world pressure, Israel began withdrawing early today from two of the West Bank cities it occupied.

Tanks and troops rolled out of the northwest towns of Tulkarem and Qalqiliya after a week's occupation, both sides said. But shortly after the pullout began, soldiers, tanks and helicopters invaded the small southern West Bank town of Dura, the Israeli military said.

A statement issued by Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer on Monday night said that the departing troops would maintain a cordon around Tulkarem and Qalqiliya. Ben-Eliezer said the operation was a success and "dealt a heavy blow to the terrorist infrastructure" in the cities, where weapons were seized and wanted militants were arrested.

Israel still occupies other Palestinian population centers, maintaining a heavy presence in the West Bank cities of Ramallah, Bethlehem, Nablus and Jenin.

A question for Powell

The Defense Ministry announced plans to pull out of the two towns shortly after Secretary of State Colin Powell arrived in Morocco on the first stop of his peacemaking mission. King Mohammed asked him bluntly, "Don't you think it was more important to go to Jerusalem first?"

In response, Powell demanded "a clear statement from Israel that they are beginning to withdraw" from Palestinian-held territories and "to do it now."

Nevertheless, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has pledged to continue the offensive, which was launched 12 days ago in response to a wave of suicide bombings. Speaking before Parliament on Monday, he accused Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat of leading a "regime of terror" that Israel would dismantle.

Cautious optimism

White House press secretary Ari Fleischer expressed cautious optimism after Israel announced its plan to withdraw from two towns.

"It's a start," Fleischer said. "As the president said ... all parties in the Middle East have responsibilities and the president expects all parties to step up to them."

Powell said he was encouraged but hoped the move would not be "a little bit of this and a little bit of that," with advances in some areas and pullbacks in others.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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