Tuesday, May 10 2005 08:55 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon announced yesterday (May 9, 2005) that the operation to pull troops and settlers out of the Gaza Strip would be delayed until the middle of August.

Sharon told public television that the withdrawal would take place "immediately after the (Jewish mourning day) of Tisha Be'Av - on (August) 15, 17 or 16. I don't want to commit myself to an exact date."

The Prime Minister had already strongly hinted that he was in favour of a postponement so that the evacuation did not begin until after the traditional mourning for the destruction of the second Jewish Temple, which ends on August 14.

The Government has been roundly criticised for failing to factor in the mourning period when drawing up its original timetable for an operation, which is likely to last around a month.

Some members of his Coalition Government had argued against a delay, which would only play into the hands of opponents who are trying to scupper the whole project.

The Prime Minister said last month that he wanted "to do everything to make the evacuation easier and to allow settlers to overcome the crisis of disengagement. These, effectively, are to be difficult days in the history of the Jewish people."

The withdrawal from the 21 Gaza settlements and four small Jewish enclaves in the northern West Bank will mark the first time that Israel has left occupied Palestinian territory.

Sharon hopes that by voluntarily leaving Gaza, he can ease international pressure for a more comprehensive pullout from the West Bank where the vast majority of the 245,000-strong settler population live.