Israel to withdraw forces from Arafat compound

JERUSALEM -- Responding to powerful U.S. pressure, Israel decided Sunday to withdraw its forces from Yasser Arafat's compound in Ramallah, but continue at a distance its 11-day siege of wanted Palestinians inside, a senior Israeli official said.

Shortly after the decision was announced Sunday morning, the Israeli flag was pulled down from one of the few buildings still standing in the devastated compound, but troops were not expected to withdraw for hours.

A spokesman for Arafat -- who remains holed up with some 200 people in the main building -- said the decision did not go far enough and the siege should end fully, in compliance with Tuesday's U.N. Security Council resolution.

"Israel is trying to skirt the decision by misleading the public opinion when talking about a withdrawal from the compound, while at the same time maintaining the siege around Arafat and the compound," Nabil Abu Rdeineh said.

In Israel, politicians from both the left and the right called the decision a surrender that reflected a planning and operational failure. Many have argued that the operation has only strengthened Arafat at a time when he had been facing growing internal pressure to reform his government and cede some powers.

Israel's military will withdraw from the vicinity of Arafat's compound and "redeploy such that it will be possible to ensure that wanted terrorists will not leave freely," said the government decision, quoted by the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

It was not clear exactly how far away the troops would move; the official said the military was expected to hand in a detailed pullout plan in coming hours and that it would be carried out by evening or nightfall.

Israeli attacked Arafat's compound on Sept. 19 -- after a suicide bombing on a bus in Tel Aviv by the Hamas militant group that killed six Israelis -- ringing it with troops and armor. It destroyed several buildings with massive bulldozers and demanded Arafat turn over the people inside, saying many were terrorists.

The Security Council condemned the operation and demanded it end, and President Bush also criticized it as unhelpful. According to Israeli media reports, National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice demanded that the siege end at a weekend meeting in Washington with top Sharon aide Dov Weisglass.

The Israeli government decision noted "the deep friendship between Israel and the United States" and promised "to do everything ... to enhance the strategic cooperation and relations."

Israel says those who are not on the wanted list of several dozen names will be allowed to go home. Israel also says Arafat himself is free to leave at any time and can go wherever he wishes -- although officials have suggested he may not be allowed to return.

Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer has proposed that the wanted Palestinians be exiled to other countries, like several dozen militants who were besieged by Israeli soldiers at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem five months ago.