Israel defied the United Nations over a probe into death and destruction at Jenin refugee camp today, but began to pull its forces out of Palestinian-ruled areas of Hebron following US appeals.
In Bethlehem meanwhile, there was a brief reprieve in Israel's month-old siege of Palestinian gunmen in the Church of the Nativity today with the release of 26 people.
The Hebron pullback was likely to smooth the way for Prime Minister Mr Ariel Sharon's planned White House visit next week, but the showdown with the United Nations could lead to an international backlash against Israel.
Dozens of tanks and armoured vehicles started to leave Hebron a day after the army pushed into the last West Bank city taken over during the offensive Israel launched in the region on March 29th after suicide attacks killed dozens of Israelis.
Israel Radio said the pullback would be completed by tonight. The withdrawal followed appeals yesterday by the United States.
But in a snub to UN Secretary-General Mr Kofi Annan, Israel's security cabinet decided to keep UN investigators away from the battered Jenin refugee camp despite his call for the fact-finding mission to begin immediately.
UN Secretary-General Mr Kofi Annan responded to the decision by saying everything had been done to meet Israeli concerns. The UN Security Council is due to meet to discuss how it will respond to the development.
"We've really done everything to deal with their concerns. And I think we've been very forthcoming. Obviously the decision is theirs and I am waiting to get a formal notification," Mr Annan said.
Israel has denied Palestinian claims that a massacre took place there. Though it originally agreed to the mission to Jenin, the Jewish state later withdrew its approval, objecting to the team's mandate and composition.