Israel Has No Intention to Withdraw Troops from Bethlehem: Official

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, December 16, 2002

Israel Has No Intention to Withdraw Troops from Bethlehem: Official

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Israeli Chief-of-Staff Moshe Ya'alon said Sunday during a cabinet meeting that he has made it clear to the clergy and Palestinian civilian officials in Bethlehem that Israel will allow Christmas celebrations to be held, but the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has no intention of withdrawing from the city.

However, according to an Israeli government communique, the army official affirmed that regarding the preparations for Christmas in Bethlehem where Jesus was believed to be born, Israel will enable tourists to attend the Christmas festivities.

Ya'alon emphasized that Israel will, for the time being, "retainsecurity responsibility for Bethlehem."

The government communique does not mention Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's remarks on this issue during Sunday's cabinet meeting. An official source said earlier Sunday that Sharon said at the meeting that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat will not be allowed to travel to Bethlehem for Christmas festivities and mass.

During the meeting Ya'alon also pointed out that since IDF's "Operation Defensive Shield" in this April, more than 4,700 Palestinians have been arrested and 109 homes of various Palestinian militants have been demolished.

He added that in the past eight months after the "Operation Defensive Shield", approximately 200 Palestinian militants who "attempted to infiltrate communities and cross the fence into Israel" have been killed in the Gaza Strip.

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