ISRAEL: The Israeli army began removing non-essential gear from Gaza yesterday in a first step towards evacuating Jewish settlers from the coastal territory it has occupied for 38 years.
It was the army's first transfer of large quantities of equipment from the Gaza Strip as part of prime minister Ariel Sharon's plan to "disengage" from conflict with Palestinians, a step diplomats hope will revive Middle East peace talks.
Trucks carrying shipping containers loaded with army uniforms, desks and computers left an army base near the Gush Katif Jewish settlement bloc in southern Gaza and headed to a base across the fenced boundary in Israel.
Thirty trucks in all made the journey yesterday. A military official said the removal of additional equipment would depend on the date that the withdrawal begins.
The evacuation of all 21 settlements in Gaza and four of 120 in the West Bank has been due to begin on July 20th. But the government is considering a three-week delay to avoid clashing with a mourning period observed by religious Jews.
Mr Sharon has indicated that a delay might be warranted because of religious sensibilities during the solemn period marking the destruction of two biblical temples in Jerusalem. The observance ends with the Tisha B'Av fast day on August 14th.
A delay could give right-wing settlers more time to mount resistance to their evacuation. US-led mediators hope the withdrawal will kick-start a "road map" peace plan leading to Palestinian statehood.
About 8,500 Jewish settlers live in the Gaza Strip and many have said they will resist evacuation of land they view as part of their biblical birthright.
Israeli media said some security commanders feared a delay in the pull-out could upset elaborate preparations, including call-ups of reservists, for coping with looming protests.
In another step towards implementing the withdrawal, Israeli officials decided to issue tenders in the next few days for 300 mobile homes to house evacuated settlers, Israel Radio reported.
The homes would be erected near the Mediterranean coast between the cities of Ashkelon and Ashdod, where the government hopes to build permanent homes for relocated settlers.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Interior Ministry said a long-awaited restructuring of its security forces would be announced on Sunday with the appointment of new security chiefs and the forced retirement of some 1,000 officers. The shake-up could purge long-time loyalists of the late Yasser Arafat and the appointment of younger security officials willing to carry out reforms sought by his successor, Mahmoud Abbas.