Israel warming to EU, UN role in post-pullout Gaza

The government is expected to approve Sunday the appointment of National Religious Party Minister Zevulun Orlev to the diplomatic-security cabinet and to the ministerial committee for legislation, in place of NRP chairman MK Effi Eitam, who resigned over the pullout plan.

As part of the efforts by the Prime Minister's Office to preserve the current coalition, the director-general of Orlev's Welfare Ministry, Dov Goldberg, will join the professional steering committee dealing with the disengagement.

In addition, the PM's Office and Justice Minister Yosef Lapid told Orlev and NRP's faction chairman MK Nissan Slomiansky that, for now, no compensation advances will be handed out to Gaza settlers slated for evacuation.

Annan: UN wants direct role in implementation of pullout plan
Israel is warming to a United Nations and European Union role in the Gaza Strip following feedback received by Sharon on the disengagement plan in telephone conversations with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and the EU head of foreign affairs, Javier Solana.

In a telephone conversation with Annan on Friday, Sharon was told the world body is interested in playing a direct role in the implementation of Israel's disengagement plan from the Gaza Strip.

In the call, initiated by the secretary general, Annan congratulated Sharon and his government for approving the disengagement plan and said the decision was brave and likely to advance peace in the region.

The two men discussed details of the plan, with Annan saying "the United Nations would be glad to assist as much as possible for the realization of the plan."

The secretary general added that the international community would like to assist and contribute - in efforts and resources - in order to ensure that the implementation of the disengagement plan is successful.

For his part, Sharon said he is interested in working in full cooperation with the international community and the Quartet, in order to further the disengagement plan.

Annan added that he hoped the prime minister would be able to visit New York in the near future for a meeting with UN officials to discuss details of the disengagement plan and ways the world body can participate in its implementation.

Annan has emphasized, however, that the United Nations, as one of the members of the Quartet - along with the United States, Russia and the European Union - regards the disengagement plan as part of the road map.

The conversation with Annan follows a similar call Sharon had with Solana on Thursday.

Diplomatic sources in Jerusalem said Sharon is keen to improve Israel's ties with the UN special envoy to the Middle East, Terje Larsen, and his European Union colleague, Marc Otte.

To date, Israel has avoided direct contact with the two diplomats, mostly because of their links with Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat.

However, even though there is no clear-cut change in policy, "The positions of Otte and Larsen regarding Arafat and the obligations of the Palestinians have become significantly closer to those of Israel and therefore tightening of relations with them is expected."

The diplomatic sources stressed that the cooperation with the EU and the UN will focus on economic and reconstruction issues and neither will be directly involved in security matters.

Despite the warm support expressed by Annan, an international official operating in the Gaza Strip in connection with the disengagement plan said there has been no international commitment for undertaking any of the plan's costs.

"In spite of the support of the members of the international Quartet for the disengagement plan, and the fact that all involved appreciate that it needs to be pushed forward, to date there has been no decision on the means for doing so and certainly there has been no commitment of funds for the dismantling of the Israeli settlements in Gaza," the official said.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/438285.html