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Israeli: Pullout unlinked to Hamas
Associated Press
Published May 11, 2005
JERUSALEM - Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip will not be called off under any circumstances, the defense minister said Tuesday, rebuffing suggestions by the foreign minister that the pullout should be canceled if the Hamas militant group wins Palestinian parliamentary elections this summer.
The comments by Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom on Monday raised new questions about the government's readiness and commitment to the pullout plan. Adding to the uncertainty, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon confirmed Monday that the withdrawal would be delayed by three weeks until mid August out of respect for an annual Jewish mourning period that ends Aug. 14.
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz on Tuesday brushed off suggestions of further delays. Speaking on Army Radio, he said "the disengagement will not be canceled" even if Hamas, building on gains in recent local elections, wins parliamentary balloting scheduled in July.
Hamas, which has killed hundreds of Israelis in suicide bombings and is sworn to Israel's destruction, is expected to make a strong showing in its first run for the Palestinian parliament. But it is not expected to defeat the ruling Fatah Party. While Hamas is honoring a 4-month-old truce with Israel, it has rejected calls by Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to disarm after the vote.
Shalom, who has been lukewarm in his support of the Gaza withdrawal, questioned whether Israel could evacuate the area, which is Hamas' stronghold, if the group wins the parliamentary election.
Sharon last year announced the planned withdrawal of soldiers and settlers from Gaza after concluding it was not in Israel's interests to retain an enclave of 8,500 Jews among 1.3-million Palestinians. The move is to be accompanied by a pullout from four small West Bank settlements.
Sharon has repeatedly said the pullout plan would help Israel maintain control over large blocs of West Bank settlements, where most of the 240,000 Jewish settlers live.
He has U.S. support on this matter, with President Bush reiterating last month that Israel will hold on to some West Bank settlement blocs under a final peace accord.
The Palestinians have said the policy crushes their hopes for a viable, contiguous state that includes all the West Bank.
[Last modified May 11, 2005, 00:47:09]
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