Hamas vows to revenge the killing of one of its leaders; Israel seeks to transport Gaza settlers to the West Bank
Palestine-Israel, Military, 2/7/2004

Assaf Sharif, the advisor of the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, said that Israel is planning to transfer the settlers of Gaza to settlements in the West Bank which will continue to be under the Israeli sovereignty in the final settlement. This is, however, in within the context of the plan to dismantle the sector's settlements proposed by Sharon several days ago.

Sharif said that Sharon discussed several options concerning the evacuation of 17 settlements out of 21 in Gaza within 2 years, and he will submit the plan to the American officials during his visit to Washington, which is expected by the end of this month February or the beginning of March.

Sharfi indicated that Sharon will discuss his plan before that with two of the American officials, expected to be William Burns and Eliot Abrams, the two ME mediators during their two visits to the region within the few coming weeks.

Sharon was exposed to strong criticism from members of the Likud party which he leads, and the settlers who support the party.

Sharif said that this plan of separation will be complete within two or three months, noting that transporting the settlers of the sector to the West Bank is one of the debated options.

He explained that Sharon asked Washington's consent to expand the settlements in the West Bank in return of withdrawal of the settlements from Gaza.

In a Palestinian reaction, the Palestinian prime minister Ahmad Qurei' welcomed the evacuation of the settlements in Gaza, but simultaneously refused to re-settle them in the West Bank.

Coinciding with the political development, the Israeli occupation forces continued escalation against the Palestinians. A line of Israeli armored vehicles broke into the city of Jenin, to the north of the West Bank, on Thursday evening, and exchanged fire with armed Palestinians. Military sources said one Israeli army officer was strongly wounded ,whereas no casualties were reported in the lines of the Palestinians.

In a later development, the Islamic resistance movement Hamas vowed to revenge the killing of Abdul Nasser Abu Shouqa, one of the leading figures of Ezz Eddine al-Qassam group, the military wing of the Hamas movement, who was murdered on Thursday in an explosion in his house in al-Breij camp for the Palestinian refugees in Gaza.

Meantime, news reports said that the armed clashes which took place on Thursday in the office of the director general of the Palestinian police, lt. Gen Ghazi al-Jabali, was not an assassination attempt, rather a difference between al-Jabali and a group of policemen during a joint meeting.

Previous Stories:
  Preparations for Sharon- Qrei summit, Sharon studies referendum to dismantle settlements   (2/5/2004)
  Egyptian judge to participate in International Court of Justice case on Israeli wall   (2/4/2004)
  Yediot Ahronot: Shalom expects the fall of Sharon government   (2/4/2004)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search