Israel suspends West Bank withdrawal
Israel said tonight it had suspended a planned withdrawal from two West Bank towns after Palestinian gunmen fired on its soldiers.
Palestinians said the pullout was supposed to have been unconditional, and the delay showed Israel was not serious about peace.
Israel had been scheduled to leave Bethlehem and Beit Jalla late on Saturday in what it said would be a test case for withdrawals from four other West Bank towns it occupied to hunt down militants who killed the ultra-nationalist tourism minister, Rehavam Zeevi.
It was not clear how long the suspension would last, but Israeli officials said the pullout would not occur before Sunday, or while they were under fire.
‘‘The pullback from Bethlehem and Beit Jalla by forces is suspended for the time being because of non-compliance with the agreements reached by the Palestinian police forces, and the continuation of the firing from these areas,’’ said Raanan Gissin, an aide to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
When asked how long the suspension would last, Gissin said it would take place when the Palestinian Authority implements a total ceasefire he claimed it agreed to on Friday in a three-way meeting with US officials.
Foreign ministry official Gideon Meir said Israel would withdraw on Sunday ‘‘if there will be a stop of shooting and the Palestinians will stand up to their commitments.’’
Palestinian Cabinet Minister Saeb Erekat said the withdrawal was supposed to have been unconditional.
‘‘I think it’s a political decision not to pull out,’’ he said.
Clashes occurred at an intersection between Bethlehem and Beit Jalla, as well as near the Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem.
The army also reported gunfire from Palestinian areas into Gilo, a Jewish neighbourhood built on disputed land on Jerusalem’s outskirts that slightly injured one person.
In Tulkarem, another West Bank town Israel occupied last week, a member of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s Fatah movement was shot and killed in an exchange of fire with Israeli tanks, Palestinian doctors and officials said.
Palestinian gunmen had fired after the tanks moved deeper into the town centre, they said.
Israeli officials had said Palestinians must enforce a full ceasefire declared on September 26 and ensure security for the withdrawals to take place in the towns, which include Jenin, Qalqilya, Ramallah and Tulkarem.
Arafat said the suspension showed Israel was not serious about making peace with the Palestinians.
‘‘It was supposed to take place tonight, but as you see it has not been implemented,’’ Arafat said after meeting at his Gaza headquarters with European politicians.
‘‘It’s a part of their policy not to achieve real peace.’’
