JERUSALEM – Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Sunday that Israel and the Palestinians have agreed that hundreds of Jewish homes in the Gaza Strip will be demolished when Israel evacuates settlers this summer.
Rice’s announcement appeared to settle a debate over what to do with the houses after Israel abandons 21 Jewish settlements in Gaza and four others in the northern West Bank.
Some Israelis, including Vice Premier Shimon Peres, advocated handing over the homes to Palestinians. But Palestinians officials say leaving the single-family dwellings intact wouldn’t ease a housing shortage in Gaza, one of the most cramped places on Earth.
The Palestinians had said they would raze the houses if Israel left them, but they did not want to be saddled with the expense of demolition and cleanup.
Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Mark Regev said the current understanding calls for Israel to raze the homes and for the Palestinians to dispose of the debris. Israel or a third party would foot the bill for the cleanup, estimated by U.S. officials on Sunday to cost between $50 million to $60 million.
The cleanup could mean hundreds of jobs for Palestinians. Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz is proposing that the debris be used to build a Palestinian seaport in Gaza, according to media reports.
Sharon and Abbas are scheduled to meet Tuesday, and the houses issue will likely be on the agenda.
Rice spoke about the decision on the settlers’ homes as she mentioned a broader agreement on a “statement of principles” to govern the Gaza pullout. The agreement marks an important step in advancing the withdrawal, which the Bush administration sees as the best chance for breathing new life into the U.S.-backed peace plan known as the “road map.”
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