Ben-Eliezer says weighing Hebron pull-back [to create more cities of refuge
for terrorists?]

[IMRA: At best, the situation in Bethlehem can be termed a
"cocked-gun-arrangement". As Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon pointed out, the
PA has not cleared out the terror infrastructure in Bethlehem - they have
turned it into a terrorist haven. In point of fact, the
"cocked-gun-arragement" has already been tried in Hebron. The result was
that Hebron was used as a center for organizing terrorist operations - this
with the Jewish community paying a dear price for the PR stunt.

There can be no greater irony that at a time of tough talk against terrorism
around the world that anyone should push for giving the terrorist more
breathing space in Hebron and other cities in the West Bank.]

By Ha'aretz Service - 13 October 2002

With his "Gaza-First" security plan having failed to get off the ground,
Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer said Sunday he was considering
expanding the Bethlehem dimension of his plan, which is aimed at effecting a
gradual truce in the territories, to include the West Bank city of Hebron.

Several months ago, Israeli and Palestinian officials reached agreement
whereby the army would withdraw from a defined area in the territories and
the Palestinian Authority security forces would move in and maintain calm.
Soon after the deal was struck, troops left Bethlehem and the area has
remained quiet since. That is not the case in Gaza where daily attacks on
settlements and IDF forces continue.

Ben-Eliezer, who made his comments just before his departure for France,
said the reworked plan, which he called "Judea-First," referring to the
southern section of the West Bank, was currently under discussion.
...
[ Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon said several weeks ago after the IDF pulled
out of Bethlehem that the city was becoming a refuge for wanted men.
Military sources say that at least eight wanted men have moved from Hebron
to Bethlehem in recent weeks. - Excerpt from "Palestinians: Fatah activist
killed by Israel" By Amos Harel, Ha'aretz Correspondent, Ha'aretz Service
and Agencies - Ha'aretz 13 October 2002]