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US Urges Israel to Continue Withdrawal From West Bank
The United States on Monday welcomed Israel's withdrawal of troops from Palestinian cities of Bethlehem and Beit Jala, but urged the country to continue the process until it withdraws all of its troops from other areas of the West Bank.
"The withdrawal from Bethlehem and Beit Jala is encouraging. We look to Israel to complete the process of withdrawal from all the other Palestinian-controlled areas," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said at a regular briefing.
Boucher also called upon Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian Authority to carry out their responsibilities to move immediately to try, arrest and bring to justice "those responsible for terrorist actions and violence against Israelis."
Israeli tanks and troops moved into Palestinian-controlled areas of the West Bank following the assassination of Israeli Tourism Minister Rehavam Zeevi by Palestinian militants on October 17.
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