BETHLEHEM - Israel withdrew tanks and troops from Palestinian-ruled areas in the West Bank early yesterday in a move that could pave the way to a US-brokered truce after nearly 18 months of bloodshed.
US Vice-President Dick Cheney, reinforcing a ceasefire mission led by US envoy Anthony Zinni, began a secondround of talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on the peace effort and the next steps in Washington's war on terror.
US President George W. Bush told reporters in Missouri that Zinni was "optimistic we are making some progress in the Middle East" after the envoy hosted talks between Israeli and Palestinian security chiefs that paved the way for the pullout.
However, the Palestinians remained indignant that Cheney had no plans to meet President Yasser Arafat and violence overnight, in which Israel's Army said an Israeli officer and four Palestinian gunmen died, underlined the difficulties in reaching agreement.
Israeli troops started leaving positions in and around the West Bank city of Bethlehem late on Monday, packing up equipment and pulling soldiers out of houses they had commandeered as lookout posts, Palestinian security sources and witnesses said.
Palestinian police replaced Israeli forces early yesterday to prevent shooting, according to agreements reached between field commanders from both sides.
The Army said its troops also withdrew from Palestinian-ruled areas in the northern Gaza Strip.
The Israeli offensive into areas that had been handed over to full Palestinian rule under interim agreements begun in 1993, and an upsurge of Palestinian shootings and bombings, has raised fears the violence is heading towards an all-out war.
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in a letter to Sharon, leaked on Monday, that Israel was using methods that suggested "the fighting has come to resemble all-out conventional warfare".
"Israel is fully entitled to defend itself against terror ... But this right does not discharge it of its obligation to respect the fundamental principles and rules of international law."
At least 1081 Palestinians and 346 Israelis have been killed since September 2000.
