Perez meets Mubarak, an agreement over Philadelphia passage

The Israeli deputy prime minister has expressed his optimism over signing an agreement with Egypt, on controlling the Philadelphia passage before the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, due in the mid August.

Perez told journalists after his meeting with the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Sharm al-Sheikh that the forthcoming agreement states the control of one Egyptian forces on the side of this passage and the Palestinians control of the other side.

He expressed his hope that the pullout from Gaza will be made at the set time beofre the end of September, adding that Israel will take several steps before this withdrawal such as dismantling settlements blocs and opening passages to facilitate the movement from and into Gaza.

Several days ago, one Israeli official stressed that, after the visit of the director of the Egyptian intelligence Lt, Omar Suleiman to Israel, the two sides reached "an initial agreement " on Philadelphia passage that states to deploy an Egyptian force along the borders with Gaza. However, certain details have not been settled yet