Sharon hopes cabinet will endorse Gaza pullout plan
AFP, Jerusalem
The Israeli cabinet will endorse the controversial Gaza pullout plan at a meeting scheduled for Sunday, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon predicted yesterday. "The plan will be adopted on Sunday," Sharon told reporters as he left a closed-door session of parliament's foreign affairs and defence committee. Sharon was earlier quoted by army radio as telling the committee that he was determined that his project would be adopted in full and that opponents would not be allowed to cherry-pick clauses. He was forced to postpone a vote at this week's meeting after failing to persuade enough of his 23 ministers to come onside. The Bush administration, which enthusiastically endorsed Sharon's proposals in April, has warned opponents of the project that it will reject any alternative version or compromise agreement.
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