Israeli cabinet on Sunday approved a plan for temporary homes for settlers who will be evacuated from the Gaza Strip. A sub-ministerial committee was set up to provide temporary homes in five Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip.
Israeli Housing Minister Yitzhak Herzog called the decision a ‘breakthrough’, saying it would allow the first tractors to begin working in the next few days.
The plan includes allocating 57 houses at Kibbutz Carmia, 26 at Mavki’im, 38 at Bat Hadar, 20 at Or Ha-Ner and 49 at Zikkim.
At the start of the weekly cabinet meeting, Israeli Prime minister Ariel Sharon strongly denied media reports that he might carry out further evacuations and annex settlement blocs in the West Bank.
‘I want to deny the reports stating that following the first disengagement plan, Israel intends to implement an additional disengagement in ‘Yosh’ [the West Bank].’ Sharon said.
‘This subject was not even mentioned in the meetings in the U.S.,’ Sharon added.
The cabinet agenda also included discussion of the proposal to relocate the entire Gush Katif settlers to the Nitzanim sand dunes.
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