Dan Lothian: Mixed reaction in Bethlehem
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CNN's Dan Lothian and Palestinian police units in Bethlehem
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SPECIAL REPORT
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BETHLEHEM, West Bank (CNN) -- Israelis and Palestinians on Wednesday took another step forward on the "road map" to peace, with Israel handing over control of the West Bank town of Bethlehem.
The move followed a Tuesday meeting between Israeli and Palestinian leaders in Jerusalem and a pullout of Israeli troops this week from northern Gaza.
CNN Correspondent Dan Lothian reported Wednesday on the reaction in Bethlehem to the transfer of power.
LOTHIAN: [Tuesday] we saw the Israeli prime minister [and] the Palestinian prime minister shaking hands and vowing to really accomplish peace at great ends.
Well, [Wednesday], this is just one step in that process, as we saw Israeli troops pulling out of Bethlehem. Palestinian policing units [are] moving in.
Some of those units ... moved in a little over an hour and a half ago [9 a.m. EDT]. There was a bit of celebration here. The church bells were ringing here in the square. There were bands and truckloads of troops, policing units coming through, honking their horns, people from Bethlehem coming out to see this new force that has come to town.
There was no visible pullout on the Israeli side because the Israeli troops had pulled out of Bethlehem a couple of months ago. They had pretty much been on the outside of Bethlehem, only coming inside to hunt down perhaps some of the militant elements or to do routine patrols. Israeli troops will still continue to man the main entrance into Bethlehem.
There is still quite a bit of skepticism here. Some people telling us they fully expect that the military will return to Bethlehem. Others say that they still can't celebrate -- they have to wait and see what happens in the weeks ahead.
