The latest official U.S. position is that Israel must immediately withdraw from the areas it handed over to the PA during the Oslo years and then re-liberated this past weekend. Reading from a prepared statement, State Department spokesman Phil Reeker said, \"Israel Defense Forces should be withdrawn immediately from all Palestinian controlled areas and no further such incursions should be made.\" Israel has rejected the demand. Defense Minister Ben-Eliezer said that only Israel is responsible for its own security. Media sources in Israel report that behind the American demand was the desire to placate the Arab nations.