An Israeli newspaper said today Foreign Minister Mr Shimon Peres is in favour of a unilateral retreat from the Gaza Strip in exchange for a full ceasefire with the Palestinians.
The Maarivdaily said the proposal is one of several being studied by Mr Peres to help bring an end to the violence that has wracked the region since late September, leaving over 700 people dead.
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Masked Palestinian boys wave Hamas flags in Gaza
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A June 13th ceasefire orchestrated by the United States has failed to take hold on the ground, with over 100 people killed since the truce was announced.
"The minister of foreign affairs believes Israel should pull out of the Gaza Strip unilaterally and allow [Palestinian leader] Yasser Arafat to declare an independent state on the territory," the paper said.
The proposal has been considered several times in the past two decades as a possible solution to the conflict with the Palestinians.
The paper said the withdrawal could be unilateral or could follow an agreement on a total ceasefire as well as a resumption of security coordination, the arrest of Palestinian militants and other "confidence-building" measures.
The presence of about 6,000 Jewish settlers in the Gaza Strip, as well as more than 200,000 in the West Bank, is one of the main Palestinian grievances.
Mr Peres got the green light from Prime Minister Mr Ariel Sharon yesterday to resume direct talks with top Palestinian leaders except Mr Arafat, sources said.
AFP