8-9-05,9:39am
GAZA, Palestine, August 9,2005 (IPC+Agencies)--Presindet Mahmoud Abbas announced today that the Palestinian National authority (PNA) has a lot of information about the israeli unilatral withdrawal from the Strip.
Addressing a special session of the Palestinian Legislative Council in Gaza City, Abbas said' we are officially informed that the israeli occupation forces will pull out on 15 August , which lasts 5 weeks.
Abbas also announced that israel agreed to commence contsruction acts in the Gaza seaport ' we have agreed on a set of issues, constrcution the seaport, the passage way bwteen Gaza Strip and W. Bank but the fate of the airport not decided yet.'
He laos vemently refused any separation between the west Bank and Gaza Strip , refering that the American president George W. Bush stressed in June 2002 the need to link the Strip with the West Bank and Gaza will be the first but not the last.
' israel troops pull back the posts before September 2000 as a transittional startingpoint ' Ababs indicated. He also refused any change on the 1967 borders and also 1949 armistice line without agreement to do so between the parties concerned.
Abbas urged the Palestinians to ensure calm for Israel's evacuation of its Gaza settlements, saying an orderly transfer of control would boost the Palestinian quest for statehood.
'It is a requirement to ensure that the withdrawal will take place in a civilized manner so that we can show the world we deserve our freedom and independence,' he told lawmakers in a speech broadcast live on Palestinian TV.
Refering the cease fire agreement in Cairo, Abbas pointed out that the cease fire was not a gift from anyone, reiterated his appeal to Palestinian militants to keep their commitment to a ceasefire with Israel.
'We don't want any provocation,' he said. 'Let them go, let us allow them to leave.'
Abbas sets election date At the same parliamentary session, Abbas also announced that the PA parliamentary election will be held in January.
'I will issue a decree that parliamentary elections will be held next January. We will pick a day but it will be in January,' he said in his address.
Creation of Vice President post
Abbas mentioned that he raised the idea at the PLC and he did not hear any objections. He added that the aim is to keep PNA working , far away of quakes if the president suffers any misfortunes.
