The Americans, amidst UN reports that they had bombed a hospital in Afghanistan, demand that Israel withdraw. MK Yuri Stern, who is currently serving as head of he National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu faction in the Knesset, estimates that if the government in fact agrees to withdraw in the coming days, the chances are high that the party will resign from the government. \"Such a withdrawal would be a violation of the promise Prime Minister Sharon made to us when he said that the assassination of Gandhi had changed the picture and that Israel would no longer act as it had before,\" Stern said today.



At the same time, the Americans are also placing heavy pressure on Yasser Arafat to bring to an absolute halt all fighting against Israel. Messages to this effect were given him by the Consul-General in Jerusalem, a series of European emissaries, and even in a personal letter from U.S. President George Bush.