Israel intends to keep major settlement blocs under its control despite no matter what the agreement with the Palestinians over final status will be, Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz told reporters on Monday.
Mofaz named six settlement blocs, in all the West Bank areas. He said, that Ma’ale Adomim (East of Jerusalem), Efrat (south of Bethlehem), Gush Etzion, (North of Hebron) Ariel, (Between Nablus and Salfit), Kidumim-Karni Shomron (near Nablus) and Rihan-Shakid will be annexed to Israel and remain under Israeli control.
 He said these settlements represent a strategic goal for Israel that will never be abandoned.
Regarding disengagement, Mofaz said that the military establishment in Israel will evaluate the situation Tuesday evening and decide which settlements to start with for evacuation on Wednesday.
The Army handed eviction orders to some settlers, allowing them two days to leave voluntarily.
The Israeli government is meeting to discuss the approval of the second group of settlements to be evacuated. The second group includes all Gush Katif settlements in the southern Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, Israel right-wing protestors are protesting the disengagement opposite to the Israeli Prime Minister’s office in West Jerusalem in bid to press the government to cancel the disengagement.
