Israel's cabinet today voted not to demolish synagogues in abandoned Jewish settlements in Gaza, clearing the way for a final military pullout to be completed tomorrow.
The 14-2 vote, with one abstention, came shortly after the cabinet declared an end to military rule in Gaza, effectively giving the green light to withdraw remaining troops from the coastal territory after 38 years of occupation.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon evacuated all 21 settlements in Gaza and four of 120 in the West Bank last month under his plan for "disengagement" from conflict with Palestinians seeking statehood in the two territories.
Mr Sharon's government originally intended to bulldoze or blow up the 19 synagogues in former Gaza enclaves to avoid what it regarded as a risk that the houses of worship could be desecrated by Palestinians.
But the government changed its mind under pressure from devout Jews who said that destroying houses of worship was forbidden by Jewish ritual law.
Palestinians wanted Israel to remove the synagogues before leaving Gaza.
The decision to heed religious sensitivities could also help Mr Sharon face down rightists within his Likud party seeking seeking to topple him in protest over the pullout, which settlers opposed but most Israelis favoured.