21.   But Israel expressed fears over pulling out its troops, saying they were needed to protect settlers against violence.

22.   But the defense minister said he was acting to protect the settlers, since many of the isolated outposts could not be guarded.

23.   Dozens of troops were posted nearby to protect the settlers.

24.   Har Shefi told the court Tuesday that Yigal Amir had asked her to help set up a Jewish underground militia to protect Jewish settlers in the West Bank.

25.   He also urged the Palestinian police to stop joint patrols with Israelis troops in the self-rule areas, saying such activities only served to protect settlers.

26.   In that area, Israel would deploy nearly two soldiers to protect each settler.

27.   Israel wants to control overall security in Hebron to protect the settlers.

28.   Israel rejected the offer, saying only the Israeli army could protect the settlers.

29.   Israeli troops remain in the downtown area to protect the settlers, many of them ultra-nationalists.

30.   Israel wants to keep its troops in the countryside to protect settlers, while the Palestinians insist their police patrol those areas.