Israel approves compensation for settlers leaving Gaza

THE Israeli Cabinet approved guidelines yesterday to compensate settlers uprooted by Ariel Sharon’s Gaza withdrawal plan, giving the prime minister a welcome boost ahead of a parliamentary showdown this week.

The compensation bill, passed by a vote of 13-6, is an important part of Sharon’s “unilateral disengagement” plan, which calls for a complete withdrawal from Gaza and pullout from four West Bank settlements next year.

On Tuesday, Sharon faces a bigger test, when parliament is to vote for the first time on the entire withdrawal plan. Sharon is expected to win that vote as well, but he hopes to win by a large margin to weaken his opponents.