Israel's Knesset approves disengagement from Gaza
Jerusalem (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Israel's Knesset approved Tuesday night Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to unilaterally disengage from the Gaza Strip and northern West Bank. Sixty-seven MKs voted in favor, 45 MKs voted against, 7 MKs abstained.
According the plan, Israel is to have no presence in the Gaza Strip or northern West Bank by the end of 2005, except for the Philadelphi route on the Egypt-Gaza border. The plan could still be halted by a public referendum, and the cabinet must also convene to decide whether, where and when to give the order to evacuate settlements.
Analysts say Sharon plan to disengage from Gaza Strip would have two possible issues: a civil war and crash into Israeli society and a growth of fundamentalist groups in Palestine, i.e. Hamas.
"We've been watching (them) discussing our future, the future of our children, the future of the Palestinians, with one factor us being absent," Palestinian cabinet minister Saeb Erekat told Reuters.
"This disengagement plan has the potential of being historic and we see it as an important step in fulfilling President Bush's vision of two states living side-by-side in peace and security," White House spokesman Trent Duffy said.
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