WRAP Israeli ministers react to indecision on Gaza withdrawal date, adds meeting pix

(19 Apr 2005) Israeli Government Press Office 1. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon sitting at head of table 2. Various of Israeli ministers sitting in meeting 3. SOUNDBITE: (Hebrew) Ariel Sharon, Israeli Prime Minister "The action the government is taking now is beyond the decisions made and the decision-making process. I welcome this because help is necessary, but it should be understood where things stand. This is additional help because I reached the conclusion that this is necessary for those being evacuated." 4. Various of ministers sitting in meeting APTN 5. SOUNDBITE (English) Shimon Peres, Israeli Vice Prime Minister "I think we shouldn't delay or postpone, but we should hear the appeal of the rabbis and also the considerations of the army. So it will take another two or three days. I don't see anything wrong with that." 6. Peres walking to car 7. Ophir Pines-Paz, Israeli Minister of Internal Affairs, leaving prime minister's office 8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Ophir Pines-Paz, Israeli Minister of Internal Affairs "We are with the formal dates, the end of July. That is the present situation. There is a possibility that we will consider, but for the time being this is the timetable and nothing has changed." APTN 9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Isaac Herzog, Israeli Minister of Housing "The ministries will be ready on time. Many good decisions were taken today. You have to remember that the law enables all families to take the compensation and do whatever they deem fit with it. We are going beyond the law, offering new incentives." 10. Hertzog getting into car 11. Pull out from prime minister's office STORYLINE: Israeli Cabinet ministers have failed to decide whether to delay this summer's planned Gaza Strip withdrawal - a move that would buy the government time to put its chaotic day-after plans in order, but also cast doubt on its resolve to carry out the pull-out. A stormy meeting in Jerusalem on Tuesday broke up without a decision on a proposal to postpone the withdrawal from July 25 to August 15, but the ministers agreed to discuss the issue further after the army makes its recommendations in the coming days, ministers said. Officially, the delay has been proposed out of respect for Orthodox Jews who observe a three-week mourning period for the destruction of the biblical Jewish Temples. Many of the 9,000 settlers who are slated to leave Gaza and four northern West Bank settlements observe Jewish rituals. But some Cabinet ministers suggested the delay would be needed to give the government more time to iron out the many snags in the withdrawal preparations. After fighting the plan for months, settlers have only recently started negotiating with the government over compensation for their losses, and committees have only been set up in the past few days to decide on the many complex issues involved in the evacuation, such as finding housing for uprooted settlers. Critics said a postponement would scuttle the evacuation and serve the purposes of pull-out opponents. Opinion polls say the Israeli public overwhelmingly supports the plan, but it is fiercely opposed by the powerful settlers' movement and some prominent right-wing politicians. Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres said ministers would decide in the coming days whether to delay the evacuation. Officials in the meeting said Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz has signalled he does not support changing the timeline. Army officials have said any changes would disrupt their preparations and give opponents more time to plan their resistance. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...