The Israeli government is weighing the possibility of evacuating its troops from the Philadilphi Route, on the Gaza Egypt borders, at the same time of evacuating its forces from the Gaza Strip by the end of October.
An Israeli source reported on Thursday evening, that the Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, held a meeting with senior security officials, to discuss the Philadilphi evacuation.
Sharon and his security establishment officials have come to a conclusion that the Israeli army should withdraw from the Route as soon as possible, the Israeli Ynet News reported.
The Israeli government said that it wishes to coordinate the pullout from Philadilphi in order to be carried out while the army pulls out from Gaza, in September 2005.
Israeli Defense Minister, Shaul Mofaz, recently said that the pullout from the Route would take place by the end of the year, but also added that it could be carried out earlier.
After the agreement between Egypt and Israel was reached, to deployed Egyptian troops at Gaza borders, the Israeli government decided to accelerate the withdrawal.ÂÂ
The Israeli Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee has criticized that agreement especially after Egypt did not commit to Israel that it would not transfer arms to the Palestinian security.
750 Egyptian border policemen will be deployed along the Route’s 14 kilometers, on the Gaza Egypt borders, and will have the task for preventing arms smuggling to the P.A areas.
The Israeli government is expected to approve the Philadilphi route agreement during its Sunday session, and then it will still have to pass the Knesset vote.
