|
JERUSALEM, Aug. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- Israel and the Palestinian National Authority
(PNA) agreed on Tuesday to demolish houses in Gaza settlements to be evacuated
under the disengagement plan.
During a meeting at Jerusalem's King David hotel, the two sidesworked out
details of the demolishment after a full Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip.
According to the plan, an international body, probably the World Bank, will oversee
the demolition. But Israel will pay to the World Bank the money that will
cover the costs of removing the rubble.
The meeting was attended by Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz,
Palestinian Minister of Civil Affairs Mohammed Dahlan, and James Wolfensohn,
envoy of the Mideast quartet grouping the UnitedNations, the United States, the
European Union and Russia.
Israel expects the Palestinians to give their final positive response to
the agreement on Wednesday, while Dahlan is expected to update PNA Chairman
Mahmoud Abbas with details of the plan.
The plan still has to wait for final approval by both sides.
Wolfensohn will leave for Washington to present the plan to US officials.
During a recent visit to the region, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
said both sides had agreed that the houses would be razed.
Israel and the PNA were formulating a mechanism to
determine how it would be done and which side would be responsible for clearing
the rubble, she said. Enditem |