Gaza pullout on track despite Netanyahu’s resignation

JERUSALEM – Israel pressed ahead yesterday with preparations for its Gaza pullout, signalling business as usual despite Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s resignation in protest at the plan.

“We are back to our routine … The disengagement will begin as planned, exactly a week from today,” Asaf Shariv, a spokesman for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said.Sharon’s security cabinet was to discuss later in the day a plan to hand over to Egypt responsibility for a flashpoint corridor along Gaza’s southern border, a move that could enable Israel to assert it had quit all of the occupied territory.In a boost to Sharon, new government figures showed 60 per cent of the 1 700 settler families due to be removed from Gaza and part of the West Bank applied for state compensation, indicating they had dropped resistance to the pullout.Under the pullout, which Netanyahu said would harm Israeli security, Israel will begin removing settlers unwilling to quit 21 Gaza settlements and four of 120 in the West Bank on Aug.17.The World Court calls the settlements illegal.Israel disputes this.A poll in Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper taken after Netanyahu’s resignation found a majority of Israelis still back the pullout.It put support at 55 per cent, slightly down from 58 per cent in an undated previous survey.The number of those opposed to the plan rose from 35 per cent to 39 per cent.- Nampa-ReutersThe disengagement will begin as planned, exactly a week from today,” Asaf Shariv, a spokesman for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said.Sharon’s security cabinet was to discuss later in the day a plan to hand over to Egypt responsibility for a flashpoint corridor along Gaza’s southern border, a move that could enable Israel to assert it had quit all of the occupied territory.In a boost to Sharon, new government figures showed 60 per cent of the 1 700 settler families due to be removed from Gaza and part of the West Bank applied for state compensation, indicating they had dropped resistance to the pullout.Under the pullout, which Netanyahu said would harm Israeli security, Israel will begin removing settlers unwilling to quit 21 Gaza settlements and four of 120 in the West Bank on Aug.17.The World Court calls the settlements illegal.Israel disputes this.A poll in Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper taken after Netanyahu’s resignation found a majority of Israelis still back the pullout.It put support at 55 per cent, slightly down from 58 per cent in an undated previous survey.The number of those opposed to the plan rose from 35 per cent to 39 per cent. – Nampa-Reuters