Israel prepares to quit Hebron

Israeli troops are preparing to pull out of the West Bank town of Hebron, perhaps this weekend, the Defence Minister, Binyamin Ben Eliezer, said yesterday, as Ariel Sharon arrived in Washington for talks with President George Bush.

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have been living under 24-hour curfews across the West Bank since the Israeli army reoccupied towns and cities in June. People cannot go to work, and children cannot go to school. The Palestinian economy is in ruins. Israeli blockades prevent Palestinian workers travelling to jobs in Israel, and Palestinians farmers from selling their crops.

Mr Bush, anxious to gain Arab support for war on Iraq, is widely expected to twist the Israeli Prime Minister's arm to ease the conditions Palestinians are living under. He is also expected to push Mr Sharon for a commitment that Israel will not retaliate if Iraq fires missiles at it, as in the Gulf War, in 1991. To US dismay, Mr Sharon had said Israel will not be as restrained this time.

His government claims the reoccupation of Palestinian towns, and curfews, prevent suicide bombers crossing into Israel. Mr Ben Eliezer said troops would leave Hebron by the end of this week, "if the conditions in the field will allow it". But a military force is likely to remain to protect Jewish settlers in the centre of the city. The settlers have condemned the planned withdrawal.

Bethlehem is still encircled by the Israeli army, and on Sunday a Palestinian militant was assassinated by a booby-trapped phone-box. Israeli troops are still occupying the more restive northern West Bank towns and there is no word on withdrawal there.