"I'm not going to beg anyone. Vote the way you want," Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told his cabinet ministers at today's historic meeting discussing the evacuation of settlements in Gush Katif and northern Samaria in five months. The Disengagement Plan was approved by a majority of 17-5.
Opposing evacuation were Minister of Finance Benjamin Netanyahu, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Yisrael Katz, Minister of Health Dan Naveh, Minister without portfolio Natan Sharansky, and Minister without portfolio Tzachi Hanegbi.
Later today, the cabinet approved the new route for the security fence. Twenty ministers voted in favor. Katz voted against. Sharansky abstained.
Officially, the government voted today on disengagement in stages, after which it would vote on the revised route for the security fence, including 7% of lands located over the Green Line. But in practice, Vice-Premier Shimon Peres noted, today's vote applied to all settlements to be evacuated in accordance with the Disengagement Plan.
In a media interview today, Netanyahu stated his position categorically. "Without a national referendum, I will vote no."
Attorney General Menachem (Meni) Mazuz clarified that today's cabinet vote now put the evacuation process into effect.
Minister of Justice Tzipi Livni noted that after the order was signed by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense, the five-month countdown in preparation for disengagement would begin.
This evening, Sharon and Minister of Defense Shaul Mofaz signed an order implementing the Disengagement Plan (Gaza Strip) and an order implementing the Disengagement Plan (Northern Samaria).
The orders were signed in accordance with both the Disengagement Implementation Law and today’s cabinet decision. The orders determine that the evacuation day will be July 20, 2005.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on Sunday, February 20, 2005