Olmert to U.S.: 'Israel will not remain in Gaza'

[MikeGalos]

By Gideon Alon, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Service and The Associated Press

Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert presented the government's plan to evacuate Gaza Strip settlements to U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Colin Powell on Thursday, seeking their approval. But he said firmly that in any event "Israel will not remain in Gaza."

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to disengage from the Palestinians will probably be approved in about six months, his son Omri Sharon was quoted Thursday as telling American officials in Washington. The implementation of the plan would require additional time after the half-year period ends, Army Radio quoted Omri Sharon as saying.

The Bush administration is wary of what Olmert acknowledged was a unilateral step by Israel, but the deputy premier said dismantling settlements beginning in the second half of the year was consistent with United States President George W. Bush's vision of a final agreement with the Palestinians that would establish a Palestinian state next year on the West Bank and in Gaza.

However, Labor leader Shimon Peres told United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan on Thursday that the Gaza plan, which he called a positive move, has no timetable, Army Radio reported.

<More at: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/390742.html >

[MikeGalos]

1. Now here's a puzzler

The Gaza Strip unilateral withdrawal plan is:

Supported by Sharon
Opposed by Bush
Supported by Kofi Annan

How many people here will support Bush in order to oppose Sharon?
How many will support Sharon to oppose Bush?

[pw]

2. If you were a real tinfoil type

You could imagine that the Twit Regime in washington doesn't want anything that might lesson middle-eastern tensions at a time when they desperately need a terrorist threat to keep US citizens in line...

But I'm betting that the US, like so many others, doesn't really believe that an orderly withdrawal is what's going to happen.