Israeli leader pulls back from total war

Israel's prime minister, Ariel Sharon, yesterday said he would lift the siege on Yasser Arafat's Ramallah headquarters, hours after attack helicopter and naval gunboats obliterated the principal residence of the Palestinian leader in Gaza.
The dramatic shift was the product of mounting American pressure on Mr Sharon, which outweighed competing demands from his far-right allies to launch an all-out war in retaliation for Saturday's suicide attack on a Jerusalem cafe, which killed 11 Israelis.

It was the second time Mr Sharon had retreated from his hardline policies this weekend. Earlier yesterday, he told his cabinet he would drop his insistence on seven days of absolute calm before beginning ceasefire talks with the Palestinians. However, he intended to carry on with a punishing offensive.