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IDF May Evacuate Philadelphi Route After Pullout

(Ha'aretz) Amos Harel and Arnon Regular - The IDF will evacuate the Philadelphi route, along the Gaza-Egyptian border, sometime after the disengagement from Gaza is completed, according to a tentative understanding reached by Israeli Defense Minister Mofaz and Egyptian President Mubarak at a meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh Thursday, Israeli security sources said. "The direction is already clear," said one Israeli security source. "It won't happen immediately, and apparently not as part of the disengagement, but the IDF will not remain on Philadelphi for long. Assuming that the disengagement from the Strip is carried out in coordination with the Palestinians, that the Egyptians assist, and that the volume of smuggling declines - we will leave Philadelphi." The sources said they believe that Egypt will crack down on cross-border arms smuggling, both to placate Washington and because of worries over the growing ties between Islamic extremists in Egypt and Gaza. Mofaz said merely: "We have not yet decided that the IDF should leave Philadelphi. If the smuggling stops, we'll consider it." Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. William Ward, the American "security coordinator" who will be overseeing reforms of the PA security services, has arrived in the region and begun work, alongside a team of several dozen advisers.
2005-03-11 00:00:00
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