Israel, Palestinians start coordination for pullout

Moves to coordinate the Israeli pullout took place in Tel Aviv late Friday at a meeting between Israel Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz and Palestinian civil affairs minister Mohammed Dahlan, in talks described by both sides as "important and positive".

The three-hour meeting focused on security coordination during the pullout, which will see Israel evacuating all troops and 21 Jewish settlements from the Gaza Strip following a nearly 40-year occupation of the territory.

Regarded as the strongman of Gaza, Dahlan is seen as capable of keeping in check on the Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad, both of which are keen to be seen as expelling the Israelis under fire.

The two men also examined the issue of travel between Gaza and the West Bank and the opening of the Strip's borders with Israel and Egypt.

Dahlan has warned the pullout would be a failure without improved Israeli-Palestinian coordination. He has called for the opening of "safe passage" routes between Gaza and the West Bank, as well as the reopening of the Yasser Arafat International airport close to the Egyptian border.

The airport was razed by Israeli troops in January 2002 following a series of deadly suicide bombings.

Speaking to AFP, Dahlan said he had asked Mofaz for a detailed report on the homes which would be left intact in the settlements, but the Israeli minister said a decision on their fate would only be taken in the next 10 days.

Should Israel decide to leave the properties standing, Dahlan said a "special force" would be tasked with protecting them, along with any other structures left intact.