PNA cabinet forms ministerial committee for post Gaza pullout

The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) decided on Tuesday to form a ministerial committee chaired by Prime Minister Ahmad Qurei in order to prepare for the post phase of Israeli evacuation from the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian sources said that the committee would follow up the Israeli unilateral evacuation plan from the Gaza Strip as well as put down a plan for the reconstruction and development of the strip.

The decision to form the committee came during the weekly cabinet meeting chaired by Qurei in the West Bank City of Ramallah on Monday, the sources noted.

According to the sources, the Palestinian cabinet insisted that the Israeli pullout from Gaza should not be the first and last withdrawal, adding that the withdrawal from Gaza should be followedby a withdrawal in the West Bank.

The cabinet reiterated that the unilateral disengagement plan ofIsraeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon should be as part of implementing the roadmap plan for peace in the Middle East.

The roadmap plan, backed by the Quartet Committee, approves the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza through a permanent peaceful solution between Israel and the Palestinians.

Source: Xinhua