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Israeli Army Completes Pullout from Gaza Strip
Israeli army has completed its withdrawal from an area in the northeastern corner of the Gaza Strip, ending its 20-hour re-occupation, Israel Radio quoted witness as saying Tuesday night.
The pullout order was issued by the Israel Defense Forces' South Command, which carried out the re-entry operation into the area that should be under full Palestinian control early Tuesday morning.
The Israeli government has informed the Palestinian National Authority about the decision, the report added.
Israel claimed that its deployment into the area near the town of Beit Hanoun was a "defensive and temporary move" to restore security to the nearby Israeli communities which had been hit by Palestinian mortar shells Monday evening.
The withdrawal decision, according to the official, was obviously made "on a high political level" in contrast to previous statements made by Israeli army officers in the field.
Earlier Monday, Yair Naveh, commander of the Israeli army's Gaza force, told Israel Radio that Israel may keep control of the area as long as necessary, even "for months."
Diplomatic sources in Jerusalem speculated that Israel's latest decision was result of pressure, especially from the United States, whose Secretary of State Colon Powell earlier blamed Israeli military operations "excessive and disproportionate."
Although Israeli officials did not specify the motion behind the pullout, Dore Gold, an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, told the Cable News Network (CNN) that Israel pay "very close attention" to what is said in Washington.
The U.S. has expressed welcome to the Israeli decision of withdrawal.
The Israeli moving into Palestinian self-rule area escalated the already tense situation between Palestinians and Israel, nearly seven months after violence erupted due to Israeli violation of an Islamic holy site in East Jerusalem.
Over 450 people have been killed, most of them Palestinians, and 15,000 others wounded in the bloody clashes.
The Palestinians termed the occupation "incursion" and " unforgivable crime" and urged the international community to press Israel to withdraw immediately from the area.
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