Israel yesterday approved a troop pullback from West Bank cities and the release of 900 Palestinian prisoners, measures crucial to the success of a summit with the Palestinians in Egypt next week. Both sides said they hoped to declare a formal halt to violence at the talks in Sharm Al Shaikh next Tuesday, which will mark a dramatic return to peacemaking after more than four years of bloodshed.
US President George W. Bush on Wednesday pledged $350 million in aid to the Palestinians to bolster security and economic development, and said the goal of Palestinian statehood was "within reach". As part of a confidence-building package to be presented at the summit, Israel will carry out a phased military pullback from positions around five Palestinian cities in the West Bank and free 900 prisoners, Cabinet officials said.
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