Killings fail to halt pull-out

Israeli forces withdrew from Bethlehem last night despite a double attack by Palestinian gunmen which killed five Israelis and wounded more than 30.

Under intense US pressure to end invasions of six Palestinian-controlled towns in the West Bank, prime minister Ariel Sharon authorised the withdrawal from Bethlehem and neighbouring Beit Jala, the scene of some of the most intense resistance since Israel launched its biggest military operation during the year-long Palestinian intifada.

There had been concerns that the pullout would be halted after there was a bloodbath in the middle of Hadera, in northern Israel, when Palestinian attackers sprayed gunfire on a busy street, killing four women and injuring more than 30 people. The attack came within hours of the killing of an Israeli soldier who was shot nearby.