June 14, 2003	Saturday	Rabi-us-Sani 13, 1424

TEL AVIV, June 13: Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz said on Friday that the Zionist state was ready to hand over responsibility for security in the Gaza Strip to the Palestinian Authority.

A radio network said Israel would be willing to transfer security responsibility for the Gaza Strip as soon as Palestinian security chief said he was ready.

Israel would “facilitate such a move immediately and without preconditions”, it said.—AFP