"Israel and the Palestinian Authority agree that the settler homes in Gaza should be removed," US Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice today revealed at a special media conference called at the end of her meeting with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
Rice confirmed for the first time that there was a solution in principle between the two sides on handing the matter of evacuated houses. This contradicted statements made by senior Israeli sources at the end of last week, that no funding had yet been found to destroy the Gush Katif houses and clean up the remaining rubble.
Rice noted that the Palestinian Authority was preparing a master plan so that construction in the area would suit the needs of Gaza's population, and remaining structures would be used to benefit the Palestinian people.
Rice said that there were now only about 2,000 houses in the Jewish settlements in the area, while the Palestinians needed to find housing solutions appropriate for 1.3 million homeless persons.
"The most important thing is that both sides want to work on this together," she emphasized.
Rice clarified the US position that finding a housing solution for the Palestinians was one of its top priorities.
Rice said that the US would consider the question of how to support some of the issues raised in the master plan, as well as ways that Egypt and Saudi Arabia could contribute their support, as housing for the Palestinians was a most hopeful thing.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on Sunday, June 19, 2005