Israeli troops begin moving equipment from Gaza

Palestinian aides demur as Sharon warns of looting

April 21, 2005|Associated Press

JERUSALEM -- Flatbed trucks rumbled out of the Gaza Strip yesterday, carrying office furniture, computers, and uniforms from an army base, the Israeli military's first concrete step toward a planned pullout this summer.

With Israel set to withdraw all troops and settlements from Gaza in three months, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon warned that he expects Palestinians to loot abandoned sites after the soldiers leave. The comment astonished Palestinian leaders, who say chaos is not inevitable.

The army trucks began emptying the base of the Southern Brigade in Neve Dekalim, the largest Jewish settlement in Gaza. About 20 containers were removed yesterday, and more are expected to be shipped out in the coming days, the army said.

Military officials said no weapons were in the shipment, and the base will not be dismantled until the end of the operation. ''We are already preparing, so everything won't be last minute during the planned withdrawal," said one official, speaking on condition of anonymity under military rules.

However, the date of the withdrawal remained up in the air yesterday, as the government considered delaying its start by three weeks, from July 25 to Aug. 15. A decision is expected this week.

The delay was proposed to avoid pulling out during the annual period of mourning by observant Jews over the destruction of the biblical Temples, leading up to the fast day of Tisha B'Av on Aug. 14. Sharon and Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz have sent mixed signals on whether they favor a postponement. Both men have said they want to respect the feelings of the settlers, most of whom are observant Jews. They have also said that changing the timeline would disrupt preparations.

Vice Premier Ehud Olmert said that officials were still weighing the matter yesterday, but that the government remains committed to the withdrawal. Talk of the delay has prompted speculation that the government is unprepared.

''It's an operative decision, not an ideological decision, and in any case, whenever the withdrawal takes place, and we always take into account religious dates, there is no alternative but to carry out this evacuation," Olmert told Israel TV.

Israel has prepared the withdrawal unilaterally, but has come under pressure to coordinate the operation with the Palestinians, in part to ensure an orderly transfer of the 21 Jewish settlements in Gaza. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said in a published interview yesterday that he is willing to coordinate the withdrawal with Israel, and that he expects meetings to start next week.

Israeli officials said Mofaz would meet Palestinian official Mohammed Dahlan today to discuss the pullout. Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei also is expected to sit down with Vice Premier Shimon Peres of Israel today to discuss economic cooperation.