Israeli officers seek Gaza pullout delay - report

Some top Israeli army officers want to delay a withdrawal from the Gaza Strip for up to six months due to slow preparations and…

Some top Israeli army officers want to delay a withdrawal from the Gaza Strip for up to six months due to slow preparations and worries over the strength of Palestinian militants, a senior security source said today.

But the army said the idea was not under discussion and did not reflect its position. Talk of postponement has raised the hopes of Jewish settlers that they could still derail the plan to give up the occupied territory. It has already been put off for three weeks to mid-August because of a Jewish mourning period.

The security source said the senior officers had voiced concern about the slow pace of preparations for taking care of 8,500 settlers from Gaza and hundreds from the northern West Bank when they are evacuated.

There are also concerns about a surge of violence in Gaza last week that dented a three-month-old ceasefire as well as the growing political strength of the Hamas militant group, which made a strong showing in recent elections.

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The Maarivdaily also carried the report. But the army said: "The idea was not raised in internal discussions and does not reflect the position of the Israeli army."