Speaking to the Knesset's Commission on International Affairs and Defense, the head of government emphasized that the evacuation of Jewish settlements listed in his plan of separation with Palestine would be completed by the end of next year.
"There will be no Jews in Gaza by the end of 2005," he said.
On the details of his plan, he said that not only Egyptian law enforcement services should be involved in the security system that would be established in Gaza as the Israelis leave the place, but also Jordanian presence on the West Bank would be encouraged.
This caused the indignation of the right-wing National Unity party's representative in the commission Arie Eldad: "I knew that Sharon had betrayed the settlers' movement, but I did not think he intended to pass Judaea, Samaria (the West Bank), and Gaza to the Arabs," the legislator said.
The governing coalition is continuing intensive consultations as to the vote on Sharon's plan, which is due on Sunday. Justice Minister Josef Lapid is trying to talk Sharon's main challenger Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into a compromise.
Construction and Housing Minister Ephraim Eitam, representative of the National Religious Party, has refused the option to approve Sharon's plan in general. According to Eitam, his party will withdraw from the government if the project of liquidation of the settlements is approved.
Sharon's stance was approved by the American administration. The U.S. President's National Security Adviser, Condoleezza Rice told director general of Israeli prime minister's office Dove Weisglass on his visit to Washington that U.S. President George W. Bush supported the plan of separation with Palestine Sharon had submitted to him on April 14 in full, not reduced versions of it.
As Sharon's plan had been voted down by the Likud party referendum on May 2, the prime minister submitted its amended version to the cabinet. The new version provides for the demolition of all infrastructure of evacuated Jewish settlements. The plan is to be implemented in four stages, each of which will have to be approved by the government separately.
