Sharon prepares new plan for Gaza Strip pull-out

Facing a crucial cabinet vote on a revised plan to evacuate the Gaza Strip, Israeli leader Ariel Sharon battled yesterday to get sceptical ministers to support an initiative rejected by his ruling Likud party.

Pressure to act has grown during the bloodiest month in Gaza since Israel captured it in the 1967 Middle East war.

At least 90 Palestinians and 18 Israelis have been killed while the Jewish state faced world outrage for the army's action.

After defeat for Mr Sharon's initial Gaza pull-out plan in a referendum of the right-wing Likud on May 2, a cabinet rejection of a modified version on Sunday would be a major embarrassment for the prime minister, also facing possible corruption charges.

Mr Sharon met key Likud sceptics, including influential Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, yesterday to try to work out an acceptable plan to "disengage" from more than three and a half years of conflict with the Palestinians.

One option was for the cabinet to be offered a four-phase withdrawal of troops and settlers from the Gaza Strip and four small enclaves in the West Bank.

Another possibility was for the cabinet to vote on only evacuating three of the most hard-to-defend settlements in the Gaza Strip, a sandy territory where 7,500 Jews live alongside more than 1.3 million Palestinians.

"The shape of the plan depends on the meetings," said one senior official. "He cannot afford a second defeat."

Some Likud ministers have said they cannot back the plan in any form because of its rejection by their party, whose hardliners oppose ceding any land and say a pull-out would be a "victory for Palestinian terror".

"A step like this can only reinforce terrorism," said Likud cabinet minister Natan Sharansky.

If even the modified plan passes the cabinet, it could mean Mr Sharon has to form a new government since right-wing allies are ready to bolt his coalition. It would also need to win parliament's approval.