GAZA, Oct. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- Palestinian Labor Minister Ghassan alKhatib expressed doubts on Wednesday over the importance of a planned Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

    The minister said in a press release to reporters that Israeli Knesset (parliament)'s authorizing Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan didn't represent an important or positive event for Palestinians.

    "It would not lead to any changes on the ground," he said. Al Khatib added that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) judged on Israel's practices and not on voting. "What we see on earth is an Israeli escalation that would continue if the international society keeps its silence," the minister said.

    Al Khatib said the current pullout plan didn't contain any practical procedures.

    "The only practical practice is emptying the Israeli settlements in the Gaza strip and northern West Bank, and it was removed from the formula," al Khatib said.

    The Israeli Knesset (parliament) approved Sharon's plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and part of the West Bank on Tuesday night.

    After two days of fierce debate, the 120-member Knesset voted67-45 for the disengagement plan with seven abstentions, while one deputy was absent.

    Sharon planned to evacuate settlers and troops from all 21fortified enclaves in Gaza and four in the northern West Bank by September 2005 in four phases, each of which would be put to subsequent votes in the Knesset. Enditem