[url]http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,90912,00.html[/url]
Israelis Pull Out of Bethlehem
Wednesday, July 02, 2003
BETHLEHEM, West Bank — The ancient city of Bethlehem (search) was turned over to the Palestinians Wednesday afternoon after both Israeli and Palestinian leaders promised painful concessions in order to end the violence that has plagued their region for nearly three years.
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The chief of Israel's Shin Bet security service, Avi Dichter, said Tuesday that Israel would withdraw from other West Bank towns only if Palestinian police begin disarming Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other violent groups in the Gaza Strip.
"We will not move on to transfer responsibility for the West Bank before it becomes totally clear that in Gaza the process of disarming terror groups has begun," Dichter told a symposium at Tel Aviv University.
[red]Abbas opposes the use of force against militias because he fears it could trigger a civil war. He suggested Tuesday that illegal weapons would not be confiscated, but that Palestinian police would try to persuade militiamen not to use them.[/red]
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Sounds like a plan to me.