Israeli Army Leaving 2 West Bank Cities -- Radio

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, April 09, 2002

Israeli Army Leaving 2 West Bank Cities -- Radio

The Israeli army began pulling out of two Palestinian cities Tuesday, Israel Radio said.

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The Israeli army began pulling out of two Palestinian cities Tuesday, Israel Radio said.

The radio said its military affairs correspondent, who is briefed regularly by the army, reported the withdrawal from Qalqilya and Tulkarm in the central West Bank had begun.

An Israeli army spokeswoman declined comment on the pullout, which followed U.S. demands for an end to the fierce offensive Israel mounted in the West Bank.

Several hours ago, Israel said it would start withdrawing from two West Bank cities even as it pushed deeper into other Palestinian strongholds Monday in house to house fighting backed by helicopters and bulldozers.

Troops would continue to maintain a cordon around the cities, a Israeli statement said, and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon pledged to continue the 11-day-old offensive he launched in response to a wave of suicide bombings.

"It's a start," White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said in Washington. "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 moved would not be "a little bit of this and a little bit of that," with advances in some areas and pullbacks in others.

Monday's developments unfolded as Powell arrived in Morocco on the first stop of his peacemaking mission and was bluntly told by King Mohammed: "Don't you think it was more important to go to Jerusalem first?"

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