Sharon's Likud Party has voted against his plan twice in different frameworks, and Sharon's efforts to bolster his coalition government, weakened by opposition to the withdrawal, have so far failed. However, Sharon insists on pushing ahead, bringing the evacuation of the settlements forward to the beginning of next year instead of the end.
On Monday, visiting Egyptian officials told Palestinian leaders that they would not send experts to Gaza to help train Palestinian forces to take control there unless Israel accepts a ceasefire, a Palestinian official said.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit and intelligence chief Omar Suleiman met Palestinian President Yasser Arafat to discuss cease-fire efforts and the planned Israeli pullout from Gaza.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath said that the Egyptians called for Palestinian unity. Egypt has been trying unsuccessfully for more than a year to forge a common Palestinian declaration of a truce in the conflict with Israel.
Shaath said Egypt is calling a meeting at the end of the month with all the Palestinian factions to press the truce idea.
"Until Israel accepts a comprehensive ceasefire, they will not send their experts to Gaza," Shaath said.
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