Israelis to leave Jewish settlements in Gaza intact

ISRAEL may leave buildings in Jewish settlements intact after a Gaza Strip withdrawal, rather than demolishing them as initially planned, senior officials said yesterday.

Demolition would force Israeli troops to spend more time in Gaza, exposing them to possible attack by Palestinian militants for a longer period, and would drive up the price of withdrawal, said Giora Eiland, the head of Israel’s National Security Council.

Palestinian leaders have not given a clear preference, but have said some of the settlement homes, most of them one-storey cottages, would have to be demolished to make room for high-rises that could ease a severe housing shortage in densely populated Gaza.