Call for delay on Gaza

JERUSALEM - Some top Israeli Army officers want to delay a withdrawal from the Gaza Strip for up to six months because of slow preparations and worries over the strength of Palestinian militants, a senior security source said yesterday.

But the army said the idea was not under discussion and did not reflect its position.

Talk of postponement has raised the hopes of Jewish settlers that they could still derail the plan to give up the occupied territory.

The plan has already been put off for three weeks to mid-August because of a Jewish mourning period.

The security source said the senior officers had voiced concern about the slow pace of preparations for taking care of 8500 settlers from Gaza and hundreds from the northern West Bank when they are evacuated.

The brass are also worried about a surge of violence in Gaza last week that dented a three-month-old ceasefire as well as the growing political strength of the Hamas militant group, which made a strong showing in recent elections.

"This is internal within the army and nobody has approached the political echelon about the delay," the source said.

"If there is more escalation, then I'm sure there will be more army officers speaking about this openly."

- REUTERS