Israel pushes on with West Bank offensive

Israeli forces swept into two towns and a refugee camp in the West Bank today but pulled out of 24 other villages, sending mixed signals ahead of the arrival this evening of the US secretary of state, Colin Powell.
The continued offensive underlined a pledge from the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, that the current military action would not end until Palestinian militias had been crushed.

Israeli tanks and troops entered the West Bank towns of Dahariyah and Bir Zeit and the Ein Hilmeh refugee camp near Nablus.

A convoy of 15 tanks briefly entered the West Bank town of Tulkarem, one of two West Bank towns Israeli troops had left earlier in the week. Troops arrested a 24-year-old Palestinian woman whom they suspected of planning a suicide attack.

Meanwhile, three dozen armed Palestinians surrendered to Israeli troops in the Jenin refugee camp, which has suffered the deadliest fighting in a two-week offensive by Israel.

The unpaved alleys of the camp, home to 13,000 Palestinians, were deserted today.

Meanwhile, Israeli troops pulled out of the 24 small towns and villages in what appeared to be a conciliatory gesture ahead of Mr Powell's arrival. America has called for an immediate Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian territory, but the partial removal of forces won guarded praise from the White House.