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Palestinian youth cut the fence of the evacuated Jewish settlement of Neve Dekalim just outside the Palestinian town of Khan Younis in the Gaza strip on Tuesday. (AP)
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09/07
Haaretz |
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09/07
Haaretz |
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| By israelinsider staff and partners September 7, 2005 |
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After an Israeli was wounded in a shooting incident near the Gaza-Egypt border -- the second incident in the last two days -- Israel approved in principle plans to station foreign inspectors on the border to monitor traffic. This followed clashes in an evacuated Gaza settlement between IDF and Palestinians. Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz proposed that Israel withdraw from Gaza before September 15.
Israeli Cabinet ministers on Wednesday approved new arrangements at the Gaza-Egypt border, increasing the likelihood that Israel would eventually agree to the movement of Palestinians in and out of Gaza under the supervision of foreign inspectors, without an Israeli presence. The plan still awaits full approval by the Israeli Cabinet next week.
The plan came about after an Israeli civilian was lightly wounded by shrapnel Wednesday when shots were fired on an IDF post along the Philadelphi route, close to the Egyptian border in the southern Gaza Strip.
On Tuesday, an Israeli man was lightly wounded in a grenade attack on the Philadelphi Route.
The man, who was working on the removal of the military infrastructure in the area, was hurt when Palestinians threw three hand grenades at an IDF post on the security fence along the Philadelphi Route, close to the border with Egypt.
Under the Israeli proposal, Rafah would be closed for six months. During that period, Palestinian travelers and goods would move through alternate, Israeli-controlled crossings, Kerem Shalom and Nitzana. After six months, Rafah could reopen, said Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, and raised the possibility that foreign inspectors could be deployed, in line with long-standing demands by the Palestinians and the international community.
"If we would want at a later time to permit the entry and exit from Rafah to Egypt, and smoothly, we would want a third party there. There is no doubt that the Europeans are very interested to be the third party," Shalom told Israel Radio.
In the meantime, the government is also considering an early IDF withdrawal from Gaza next week, three days ahead of schedule.
This, after an incident last night in which IDF soldiers were forced to opened fire on a 200-member mob of Palestinians who marched into the evacuated Gaza settlement of Neve Dekalim.
Youth threw rocks at the tank while others stormed into the settlement, planting Palestinian flags and flags from militant groups.
According to Palestinian rescue workers, one was killed and two were wounded.
Military sources said the IDF alerted Palestinian police officers, but they did not arrive at the scene.
This was the first time IDF soldiers and Palestinians clashed in the Gaza Strip since Israel carried out the settlement evacuation in the Strip.
According to IDF sources, the proposed early pullout will give soldiers 24 hours to complete their orders, from the moment Prime Minister Ariel Sharon gives the order to do so.
The precise moment of withdrawal depends on when a decision is reached regarding whether to demolish or move the synagogues in the evacuated settlements.
Mofaz had recommended on Wednesday that Israeli soldiers leave the Gaza Strip several days before a Sept. 15 target date, according to one security official.
Mofaz made the recommendation in a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and senior Cabinet ministers, the official said on condition of anonymity, because the government has not yet made a decision. The military has been urging for several days to move up the pullout because of growing chaos in Gaza.
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