Israel reduced the number to a few thousand as part of an effort to halt Palestinian attacks.
Senior military officials called the mission their only alternative to stop Palestinian attacks.
Israeli military officials cited intelligence information warning of a possible Palestinian attack.
It was the deadliest Palestinian attack in almost four months.
The decision was followed by a series of Palestinian attacks on Israelis.
He was wrong, however, to insist on an end to Palestinian attacks as a precondition for serious peace efforts.
Israeli security officials state this is "only the beginning" of responses to Palestinian attacks.
Their hand has been strengthened by Palestinian terrorist attacks.
Israel's military has found effective countermeasures to a wide variety of Palestinian attacks.
The Palestinian attack was among the deadliest of the 18-month conflict.
