Sharon delays Gaza pullout
2005-05-09 21:48
Jerusalem - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon announced on Monday that the operation to pull troops and settlers out of the Gaza Strip would be delayed until the middle of August.
Sharon told public television that the withdrawal would take place "immediately after the Jewish mourning day of Tisha Be'Av - on August 15, 17 or 16.
"I don't want to commit myself to an exact date".
The prime minister had already strongly hinted that he was in favour of a postponement so that the evacuation did not begin until after the traditional mourning for the destruction of the second Jewish Temple, which ends on August 14.
The government had been roundly criticised for failing to factor in the mourning period when drawing up its original timetable for an operation, which was likely to last around a month.
The crisis of disengagement
Some members of his coalition government had argued against a delay, which would only play into the hands of opponents who were trying to scupper the whole project.
The prime minister said last month that he wanted "to do everything to make the evacuation easier and to allow settlers to overcome the crisis of disengagement.
"These, effectively are to be difficult days in the history of the Jewish people".
The withdrawal from the 21 Gaza settlements and four small Jewish enclaves in the northern West Bank would mark the first time that Israel had left occupied Palestinian territory.
'Ultimate champions in government'
Sharon hoped that by voluntarily leaving Gaza, he could ease international pressure for a more comprehensive pullout from the West Bank, where the vast majority of the 245 000-strong settler population lived.
The pullout had infuriated the settler movement, which had previously regarded the prime minister as one of its ultimate champions in government.
The Israeli authorities banned a demonstration on Monday within the walled old city of occupied east Jerusalem by extremist opponents of the pullout.
They also restricted access for Muslim worshippers to the al-Aqsa mosque compound, leading to clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police.
Seven police were wounded along with 11 demonstrators.
- SAPA