Thousands in Gaza celebrate coming Israeli pullout

GAZA - President Mahmoud Abbas joined thousands of Palestinians celebrating along Gaza's beachfront ahead of Israel's withdrawal from the occupied territory, due to start next week.

"From here, our people begin the march toward establishing an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital," said Abbas.

Thousands of people waved flags, danced and sang in the afternoon sunshine while fishing boats flew the national colours of black, white, red and green. Many wore T-shirts with portraits of Abbas and his late predecessor Yasser Arafat.

Israel will begin removing residents from 21 settlements in the Gaza Strip and four of 120 in the West Bank on August 17 in a pullout that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon calls "disengagement" from conflict with the Palestinians.

Palestinians welcome the pullout, though they fear the plan is a ruse to trade tiny Gaza for much of the West Bank and deny them the state they seek with Arab East Jerusalem as its capital.

Most Israelis back the plan for withdrawing from Gaza, where 8,500 settlers live alongside 1.4 million Palestinians. But opponents say it gives up a Jewish birthright and rewards a Palestinian uprising.

Abbas has vowed to prevent attacks on the withdrawing settlers by militant groups following a six-month truce, but recent flare-ups involving security forces and gunmen have raised fears for Palestinian stability.

Palestinian cabinet minister Mohammad Dahlan said Abbas attended the celebration against the recommendation of security officials, who were worried about his personal safety.

The United States hopes the pullout plan will restart talks on a peace "road map," but Sharon says there will be no discussion of statehood until Palestinians dismantle all militant groups -- a condition of the peace plan.

Israel has also failed to implement its own road map promise to freeze settlement building and remove settler outposts set up without even Israeli authorisation.

The World Court has said settlements on land Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war are illegal. Israel disputes this.

- REUTERS