Rice believes in smooth Gaza withdrawal

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said yesterday that her meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders convinced her that both sides share a commitment to ensuring Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza takes place smoothly and peacefully.

“Israel and the Palestinian Authority share a commitment to ensure that disengagement happens smoothly without violence,” she said.

Both the Israelis and Palestinians agree that the homes in the Gaza Strip settlements will need to be destroyed when Israel pulls out this summer, and they will need to work together to figure out how that will happen, Ms Rice said.