Sharon after the vote

OCCUPIED JERUSLAM, June 7 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan approved by the cabinet is too "vague" and "contradictory", as it carries "nothing regarding the evacuation of settlements in occupied Palestinian lands", according to press reports Monday, June 7.

The Israeli cabinet approved Sunday, June 6, a revised plan originally calling for the dismantling of settlements of all Gaza settlements and four in the West Bank by the end of 2005.

The approved plan only authorizes the government to begin preparations for the dismantling of settlements. However, Likud hard-liners attached a disclaimer, insisting that the vote did not amount to approval for taking down settlements, the Associated Press reported.

Appendix A of the document read: "The state of Israel will evacuate the settlements in the Gaza Strip" and continued, "The intention is to complete the evacuation by the end of 2005."

The main body of the document, however, carried a contradictory clause saying: "There is nothing in this decision regarding the evacuation of settlements," according to the Washington Post.

The revised plan includes a clause saying that under certain conditions new construction in Gaza settlements could be approved by a ministerial committee, said the Post.

It also states that committees would be established that will spend months assessing how settlement evacuation should proceed, the paper added.

"The wording of the decision was sufficiently vague to allow both Sharon and rebellious ministers from his Likud Party to claim victory," the AP said, noting "The ambiguous decision appeared to have something for everyone. For Sharon and his backers".

"After completing the preparations, the Cabinet will reconvene to decide whether to evacuate settlements, how many and at what pace, based on the circumstances on the ground," read the revised statement of the plan.

A vote on the dismantling of settlements would only be held by March next year under the compromise, giving settler patrons in the government time to try to sabotage a Gaza withdrawal, the AP said.

"It's not an unrealistic goal, since Sharon's government has been weakened by the withdrawal debate and there's talk about early elections by the fall, the American news agency added.

New Construction

Critics quoted by the Post said the plan contained no clear indicators of future Israeli policy in Gaza.

"As a declaration without a clear-cut plan to be followed, it's half a measure," said Labor Party leader Shimon Peres.

"The policies are not clear. So we shall wait and support every move that involves a withdrawal from Gaza and dismantling of settlements."

Sharon originally presented a Gaza withdrawal initiative to his own Likud Party in a referendum, but it was defeated on May 2.

Sunday's vote took place after Sharon fired two nationalist cabinet ministers Friday so that they could not vote against the plan.

He argues that evacuating Gaza could help save some of the Jewish settlements in the West Bank. The plan that was passed includes a clause that pledges support for major Jewish settlement blocs there, said the Post.

Sharon wants to trade Gaza, where 7,500 Jewish settlers live amid 1.3 million Palestinians, for the main settlement blocs in the West Bank, where most of the 230,000 Jewish settlers live, said the Post.

U.S. Welcomes

Palestinian officials responded with skepticism to the cabinet's approval, while the White House welcomed.

"If approving this fragmented plan took the Israeli government this long, I wonder how much time it will take to implement it," said Palestinian Cabinet minister Saeb Erekat.

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei said Palestinians "welcome any Israeli withdrawal from any part of our Palestinian land ... if the withdrawal is total and comprehensive, which includes dismantling all the settlements."

The U.S. welcomed the Israeli Cabinet's approval of the pullout plan.

"We urge that practical preparatory work to implement the plan now proceed as rapidly as possible in Israel," White House press secretary Scott McClellan said, with no reference to the contradictions.