Israeli forces withdrew from the northeastern Gaza Strip last night, less than 24 hours after they had occupied a small section of Area A in response to a Palestinian mortar attack on Sderot. The withdrawal came after Israel received strongly worded criticism from U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, but Israeli officials were quick to announce that the decision to withdraw had already been made.

The withdrawal of Israeli troops from the area of Beit Hanun in the Gaza Strip was completed late last night. An official statement issued by the Prime Minister's office said the decision to withdraw had no connection with Powell's message, and had been made earlier in the day.

"The decision was made after consultations with Defense Minister Benyamin Ben-Eliezer and after it was clear that the IDF mission had achieved its objectives," the ynet web site reported. State Department officials reportedly called Israel repeatedly yesterday to clarify the scope and nature of the IDF mission.

Secretary of State Colin Powell described the IDF action in Gaza as "excessive and disproportionate,'' and said Israel should respect its commitment to the Palestinians. "The situation is threatening to escalate further, posing the risk of a broader conflict,'' Powell said.

Palestinian officials harshly criticized the Israeli military action, described by PA Chairman Yasser Arafat as an "unforgivable crime."

Gaza commander Brigadier General Yair Naveh came under attack for publicly declaring that the IDF would occupy sections of the Gaza Strip indefinitely, and possibly for months.

Ha'aretz military correspondent Ze'ev Schiff wrote today that the IDF never planned to create a Security Zone in the Gaza Strip. The IDF mission, Schiff wrote, was to "sterilize" the area from which Palestinians were firing mortars at the town of Sderot.

While the Hamas claimed responsibility yesterday for the Sderot mortar attack, it was quite clear to Schiff and other newspaper accounts that the mortar fire was coordinated by or at least accepted by Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian Authority. "The PA is trying to expand the fighting and to provoke Israel to respond in a way that will be seen to be out of proportion," Schiff wrote.

The IDF withdrawal met with mixed reactions from Israeli politicians. Minister without Portfolio Salah Tarif (Labor) told Israel Radio that the IDF pullout from area seized in the Gaza Strip was a good step. The Minister said he believes the withdrawal saved Israel "untold anguish."

MK Shaul Yahalom (National Religious Party) said that the Sharon government's decision to withdraw from the Palestinian area proved that "on the eve of its independence day, the state of Israel is not independent." Yahalom said he believed the IDF withdrawal was a result of international pressure "by the United States and perhaps others."

Palestinian mortar fire continues
Only hours after the IDF withdrawal was completed, Palestinians fired mortars at Neve Dekalim in the southern Gaza Strip. Three mortar shells landed in the fields adjacent to houses in the settlement, but no substantial damage was reported.

In a second mortar salvo, several shells hit the industrial area at the Erez Crossing. Army Radio reported that the mortars were fired from the vicinity of Beit Hanun, where Israeli troops had been positioned the previous day.

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