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| Middle East |
| IDF withdraws from Bethlehem... |
| 2002-08-20 |
| Israeli forces pulled back from the West Bank city of Bethlehem, beginning the implementation of "Gaza First" plan. Palestinian security forces completed early Tuesday morning their deployment in Bethlehem, and Palestinian policemen were patrolling near Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity. No doubt ready to rush inside, if need be... The United States welcomed the deal, which also calls for Israel to withdraw from parts of Gaza and for the Palestinians to take over security duties in the newly vacated areas. The State Department said it could lead to further peacemaking steps. Sounds like somebody plugged the Peace Processor in again... The Bethlehem withdrawal began late Monday and residents said the last Israeli troops had departed by early Tuesday morning. Palestinian police began patrolling the town. An Israeli army spokesman and public radio confirmed the troops had pulled out of Bethlehem and the nearby areas of Beit Sahur, Beit Jala, and the Dheisheh refugee camp and that curfews imposed by the army had been lifted. "The redeployment is aimed to enable the Palestinians to act against terrorism and restore daily life," an Israeli military statement said. A month or two from now they'll probably be back, arresting the Paleostinian "security forces." |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |