(Yediot Ahronot-English) Atilla Somfalvi - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon signed evacuation directives Sunday giving Gaza and northern West Bank settlers five months to leave their homes - by July 20, 2005. The government approved the disengagement plan Sunday by a 17-5 margin. Voting against were ministers Benjamin Netanyahu, Tzachi Hanegbi, Yisrael Katz, Natan Sharansky, and Danny Naveh. The ministers also voted 20-1 in favor of a modified West Bank security fence route that includes much of the settlement bloc of Gush Etzion, and the town of Maaleh Adumim next to Jerusalem. Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz estimated the removal of settlements would take about seven weeks.
2005-02-21 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive