- Israel's security cabinet has approved a policy to compensate
Jews who leave settlements in the Gaza Strip.
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- Families will reportedly receive $200,000-$500,000, with
part of the sum being paid as early as next week to those settlers who
volunteer to leave.
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- The measure is part of Prime Minister Sharon's plan to
withdraw settlers from Gaza and four West Bank enclaves.
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- Thousands protested against the pullout two days ago,
and cabinet pressure is growing for a referendum on the plan.
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- The security cabinet, which includes Ariel Sharon's most
senior ministers, voted 9-1 in favour of the compensation plan after what
was described as a stormy meeting.
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- Correspondents say it is the government's first concrete
step towards implementation of Mr Sharon's disengagement plan, and shows
his determination to forge ahead despite opposition among his traditional
supporters.
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- Welfare Minister Zevulun Orlev, a member of the far-right
pro-settler National Religious Party, was the only dissenting vote.
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- Last night the NRP threatened to leave the Mr Sharon's
coalition if parliament approves the Gaza plan and the prime minister does
not put it to a national referendum.
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- Threat to Arafat
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- Earlier Mr Sharon used a series of national newspaper
interviews on the occasion of the Jewish New Year to reject a call for
a referendum voiced by the powerful finance minister, Binyamin Netanyahu,
on Monday.
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- "The real intention here is to delay implementation
[of the disengagement plan]," Mr Sharon said. "It will be implemented
without delay. We cannot deviate by even one day from what the cabinet
decided," he added.
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- Mr Sharon's holiday interviews also pledged to expel
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat - when it was "convenient" for
Israel - and hinted at a possible assassination attempt.
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- "Just as we acted against other murderers, so we
will act with Arafat," he said.
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- Majority support
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- Jewish settlements in Gaza and the West Bank are considered
illegal under international law and Israel has committed itself to freezing
settlement activity under the international peace plan known as the roadmap.
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- About 8,000 Jews live in 21 settlements in the Gaza Strip,
alongside 1.3 million Palestinians.
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- Israel is planning to pull all its settlers from Gaza
and the troops that protect them as part of a disengagement plan. Israel
will maintain control of Gaza's borders, coastline and airspace. Four West
Bank settlements are also to be evacuated.
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- Polls have consistently shown that the prime minister's
plan to withdraw from Gaza is backed by most Israelis.
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- However, settler organisations are strongly against the
pullout and Mr Sharon has twice lost contests within his own Likud party
over it.
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- © BBC MMIV http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3654494.stm
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