Troops will leave West Bank cities except Ramallah, Bethlehem

Associated Press WriterJERUSALEM (AP) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Monday that troops will be out of all West Bank cities except Ramallah and Bethlehem within a week.

"Altogether, we are on our way out," Sharon said in an interview with CNN. Israel, he said, has no intention to stay in "cities of terror."

In the interview, Sharon also spoke of his desire for peace but reiterated his view that Yasser Arafat is not a partner in peace and that Secretary of State Colin Powell, who is in the region, should not have met with the Palestinian leader on Sunday.

The United States has called on Israel to withdraw immediately from the West Bank, to end a massive military campaign that began March 29 with the aim of crushing Palestinian militias behind deadly attacks on Israelis. Israel consistently has said it cannot leave until the job is done, but previously hadn't indicated when that might be.

Asked how quickly Israeli forces would be out of two of the towns where there had been the most fighting -- Nablus and Jenin in the northern West Bank -- Sharon said the withdrawal from Jenin would come in less than a week and in Nablus "not more than a week."

The two exceptions Sharon gave were in Bethlehem, where Israeli forces are engaged in a standoff with more than 200 armed men in the Church of the Nativity, and in Ramallah.

"We have problems in Bethlehem -- terrorists took shelter in the Church of the Nativity. Once they will be leaving ... we will be leaving," Sharon said.

Asked whether within a week Israel would be out of all areas that were part of the military incursion except Bethlehem, Sharon cut in to say "and Ramallah, unless those terrorists will be handed over to us or leave there."

Those who killed Israeli Tourism Minister Rehavam Zeevi in October 2001 remain in Ramallah, he said. Israel has said they are inside Arafat's headquarters, which is circled by Israeli troops.

Sharon said Israel and the United States have agreed on what must happen in resolving the standoff at the Church of the Nativity -- and that the solution would require having those deemed connected with terrorist acts tried in Israel or deported, perhaps with British assistance.

"They must leave their weapons behind. They have to come (out). They will be identified," he said. "Those who have no connection with terror will be released immediately. Those who are connected and had to do with terror and murder will be arrested."

"Maybe the Palestinians think in a few days now there will be a change -- Israel will have to leave those places," he said. "I want to make it very clear. We will leave Bethlehem only after they either are arrested and tried in Israel or deported."

A British plane could be used to take those deported to an unspecified third country, Sharon said.

"We want to reach peace, and I myself am committed to peace, I saw all the horrors of war," he said. "I understand the importance of peace, but for me, peace should provide security."