Green light for Gaza pullout
2005-08-07 15:44
Jerusalem - The Israeli cabinet on Sunday gave the final go-ahead for the evacuation of a first batch of Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip, 10 days before the pullout is to begin, official sources said.
The vote came moments after finance minister Benjamin Netanyahu tendered his resignation from the government over his opposition to the pullout plan, due to kick off on August 17.
Ministers at the weekly cabinet meeting nevertheless voted in favour of dismantling Kfar Darom, Netzarim and Morag, the three most isolated settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory.
Netanyahu resigned from his post on Sunday to protest next week's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and part of the West Bank, an official in his ministry said.
Dramatic
Netanyahu's dramatic decision was unlikely to affect Israel's plan to begin removing 9 000 settlers from their homes, starting next week. All 21 Israeli settlements in Gaza and four in the West Bank are marked for dismantling.
Netanyahu, seen as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's biggest political rival, submitted a letter of resignation during the weekly Cabinet meeting on Sunday, said finance ministry spokesperson Eli Yosef. The resignation will take effect within 48 hours.
The Tel Aviv stock exchange's Maof index dropped 2.5 percent in six minutes following news of the resignation.
Netanyahu had led efforts to streamline the Israeli economy, often adopting harsh measures in implementing his austerity plan.
Netanyahu, a former prime minister and political hardliner, has long been conflicted over the Gaza withdrawal.
He has voted in favour of the pullout in the Cabinet, but also tried to torpedo the plan in parliamentary manoeuvres.
Submitted
He submitted his resignation just before the Cabinet was to give formal and final approval to the first stage of the withdrawal - the dismantling of three isolated Gaza settlement.
The finance minister is considered Sharon's biggest political rival within the ruling Likud party.
He is expected to challenge Sharon for party leadership ahead of the next election.