Israel's Cabinet on Sunday rejected a proposal to delay the planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip by six months. According to The AP, ministers voted 18-3 to turn down the proposed delay. The pullback will start, as planned, in mid-August. Israeli Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voted in favor of a delay, challenging Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Meanwhile, PA's Civil Affairs Minister, Mohammed Dahalan, asserted on Sunday that Palestinian control on crossings would lead either to the success or the failure of the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza Strip.  Dahlan told reporters in Gaza that the Palestinian control on passages and crossings "is the keyword for the success or failure of the intended Israeli army withdrawal from Gaza and northern West Bank."

According to WAFA, he said he does not think that Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon wants to present compromises in the framework of implementing his disengagement plan, adding that "Israel wants to keep a kind of control on Palestinian free access of people and goods." "Israel, apparently, doesn't want to let the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) has its full control on all passages and terminals," said Dahlan.

© 2005 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)