Israel pulls troops out of part of West Bank

Despite last-minute glitches, Israel withdrew troops from parts of the northern West Bank Friday, fulfilling the first step of the new Mideast peace accord and moving the Palestinians a step closer to statehood.

The withdrawal was already well under way when Palestinians raised questions about changes Israel made in the redeployment map. The pullback was put on hold and only resumed two hours later, after a meeting between Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and the Israeli troop commander in the West Bank.The pullback gives Arafat full or partial control of an additional 9.1 percent of the West Bank, a 204-square-mile chunk of land the size of Chicago. The withdrawal also takes Arafat a step closer to his final goal: statehood in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on the other hand, faces a mounting challenge by hawkish allies who oppose land concessions and are threatening to topple the government. Netanyahu reportedly is considering calling early elections.

"We signed the agreement with a heavy heart, and with a heavy heart we proceed to implement it," Defense Minister Yitzhak Mor-de-chai wrote today in the Yediot Ahronot daily.

Israel also released 250 Palestinian prisoners, including 150 criminals. This sparked complaints from the Palestinians, who had demanded all those freed be prisoners jailed for activities against Israeli occupation.

"It's a shame and a defeat for the Palestinian people," said Hisham Abdel Razek, a senior Palestinian Authority official in charge of prisoner affairs. Abdel Razek stayed home instead of greeting returnees arriving by bus at the Nahal Oz crossing between Israel and Gaza.

Mahmoud Obeid, a TV cameraman, was filming the arrivals when he recognized one of the prisoners as his brother Ahmed, whom he had last seen 11 years ago. Obeid dropped his camera, ran to his brother and hugged and kissed him.

Israel and the Palestinians also signed a protocol for the operation of the Palestinian international airport in Gaza. Arafat said the airport would open Tuesday with a flight from Cairo, Egypt, carrying Egyptian government officials, the Palestinian news agency Wafa said.

The Israeli redeployment began Friday morning.