Sharon puts Gaza case to Knesset

Erstwhile allies feel betrayed by the Israeli prime minister

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has insisted that it is necessary to pull settlers and soldiers out of Gaza during a stormy debate in parliament.

He acknowledged the "pain, anger and despair" of those due to be evacuated.

Hecklers interrupted his speech and several members were expelled from the chamber, but outside thousands demonstrated in support of the plan.

The two-day debate on the prime minister's plan will end in a vote on a withdrawal in principle.

Mr Sharon said withdrawal was key to making peace with the Palestinians.

This will decrease hostility and will lead us forward on the path to peace with the Palestinians Ariel Sharon

Many Israelis living in the Strip were his personal friends, he said, but the evacuation would "decrease hostility" and lead Israel "forward on the path to peace with the Palestinians".

Withdrawal, the Israeli prime minister stressed, was not a substitute for negotiations, as some had suggested.

Israel had no wish to rule forever over millions of Palestinians who were growing in number with every generation, he said.

Mr Sharon also claimed that Iran was seeking to acquire nuclear weapons and training "an enormous terrorist network with Syria and Lebanon".

Party split

The 120 members of the Knesset (MKs) are due to debate the issue until Tuesday evening. If they approve disengagement, a further bill on compensation for Jewish settlers is expected to follow.

DISENGAGEMENT PLAN: Israel will pull out all its 8,000 settlers from 21 fortified enclaves in Gaza, and the troops that protect them Israel will maintain control of Gaza's borders, coastline and airspace Four isolated West Bank settlements also to be evacuated

Israel is planning to pull all its settlers from Gaza - and the troops that protect them - as part of the plan, but it will maintain control of Gaza's borders, coastline and airspace.

Four West Bank settlements are also to be evacuated.

Mr Sharon is expected to win on Tuesday with the backing of left-wing parties, but opposition is strong.

As many as 17 of the 40 MKs from Mr Sharon's own Likud party may vote against, along with about 30 religious members and some of the eight Arab MKs.

Less than 15 minutes into Mr Sharon's speech, the chairman of the National Religious Party, Effi Eitam, was ejected by Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin for his repeated interruptions.

Two other lawmakers were also ejected, AP news agency reported.

After Mr Sharon spoke, Labour Party leader Shimon Peres urged MKs to back the plan.

Sharon urged Israelis to close ranks over the plan

"To be rid of isolation is to be rid of an asset? To be rid of war is to be rid of an asset?" he said, according to Haaretz newspaper.

"It's dangers that we're getting rid of."

Outside, thousands of people attended rallies in support of the plan. Opponents are expected to demonstrate before the vote on Tuesday.

Hundreds of police deployed around the Knesset building have been ordered to confiscate inflammatory banners or leaflets found on anti-withdrawal activists.

Police escorts have also been assigned to ensure protesters do not prevent pro-withdrawal MKs reaching the chamber.

'Irreversible'

Violence continues in the Gaza Strip, where an Israeli ground operation against the Khan Younis refugee camp has left at least 16 Palestinians dead since Sunday night.

BBC Middle East correspondent James Reynolds says that the official reasons given for disengagement are the need to break a stalemate in negotiations, make Israel safer and eventually return to a two-state solution.

He adds that unofficially, however, the withdrawal may actually be a tactic aimed at taking back the initiative, freezing the peace process and preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Dov Weisglass, an aide to Mr Sharon, said as much in a recent newspaper interview.

Government spokesman Raanan Gissin has said Tuesday's vote will create an "irreversible process".