RAMALLAH - Israel's withdrawal from two West Bank cities was dismissed last night by Palestinians as a deception because troops remained in other cities, towns and villages.
Israeli forces entered the village of Dura, near the West Bank city of Hebron, during the night and reinforced an Army blockade around Qalqilya
and Tulkarm, the two cities it has pulled out of under United States pressure.
"This is a new Israeli lie because as they pulled back they tightened the siege on the two cities and entered new areas," Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo said.
Israel says it will not complete the pullout from West Bank cities until it achieves its goals, including rounding up militants behind suicide attacks. The Palestinians have accused the US of letting Israel continue its offensive for at least a few days more.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell, speaking at the start of a Middle East mission, welcomed the Israeli move, but added: "Let us hope that this is not a little bit of this and a little bit of that, but the beginning of a pullback."
In Tulkarm, Israeli forces blew up the local Palestinian intelligence headquarters before leaving under heavy covering fire, witnesses said. Two columns of armour pulled out of Qalqilya with no shooting reported.
- REUTERS
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