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Israeli Troops Withdraw from Hebron, Cabinet Hawks Threaten to Bolt
Israel Defense Forces withdrew overnight from Palestinian-controlled areas of Hebron that they occupied ten days ago, Israeli Army Radio reported Monday morning.
The forces withdrew under cover of darkness from the Abu Sneina and Harat a-Sheikh neighborhoods.
The decision to redeploy from the areas under formal Palestinian control, was apparently prompted in part by strong pressure from the U.S. administration.
Two far-right cabinet ministers, Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze'evi and National Infrastructure Minister Avigdor Lieberman, leaders of the ultra-hawkish National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu bloc, threatened to bolt the government Monday morning, after IDF forces withdrew from Hebron.
Israel notified the Palestinian National Authority on Sunday of a list of government-authorized actions intended to ease sanctions imposed on the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Foreign Minister Shimon Peres gave the list to senior Palestinian negotiators Abu Ala and Saeb Erekat during a meeting Sunday afternoon.
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