JERUSALEM (Islamweb & News Agencies) - Israel said on Saturday it was postponing indefinitely a scheduled withdrawal of its troops from Bethlehem and a neighboring Palestinian town because of continuing violence.Fierce fighting broke out in and around the West Bank town of Bethlehem and near Palestinian-ruled Nablus on Saturday just hours before Israel was expected to begin the first phase of a staged withdrawal from Palestinian areas it occupied last week. (Read photo caption below)
Senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told Reuters the postponement showed Sharon's wanted to ``pursue the path of destruction and violence and not the path of negotiations and peace.'' Other Palestinian officials including information minister, Yasser Abed Rebo accused Israel of manufacturing the shooting incident to use it as a pretext for the postponement of the scheduled withdrawal.
``It is unfortunate once again that the Israeli government reneges on an agreement brokered by the Americans, the Europeans, the U.N. and Russia. It's very clear that it's now up to the U.S. and the Europeans to stop him,'' Erekat said of Sharon.
Israeli occupation troops moved into or around six Palestinian-ruled areas following the assassination on October 17 of right-wing cabinet minister Rehavam Zeevi.

PHOTO CAPTION:
Israeli tanks fire into the Al Asa refugee camp on Nativity Road in Bethlehem during gunbattles on October 27, 2001. Several Israeli armor units fired at least four missiles during fierce fighting with Palestinian gunmen in Bethlehem, just hours before a planned pullout by Israeli troops. (Desmond Boylan/Reuters)