The evacuation of Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip and West Bank will last for three to four weeks, and not the eight weeks previously planned, following a request by Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz. According to Israel's Channel 1 television, the decision was made after Mofaz had consulted with the police, Israeli army and other security forces involved in the evacuation.
Mofaz last month asked senior security officials to prepare a shortened timetable for implementing the disengagement plan.
Meanwhile, Dr. Mahmoud al-Zahhar, a prominent Hamas leader, met on Thursday night with the Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas, to discuss the forthcoming round of talks between Palestinian factions in Cairo slated to start next Tuesday.
Zahhar warned that it is becoming more and more difficult to keep a state of calm in the face of continued Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people. He said that his movement “cannot keep the truce forever” if Israel does not meet the conditions of the Palestinian factions for abiding by the truce, especially the condition of releasing Palestinian prisoners.
Furthermore, Dr. Zahhar expressed fears that the Cairo talks might fail if the situation on the ground remains unchanged.
