JERUSALEM, May 9: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon delayed Monday the operation to pull out of the Gaza Strip until the middle of August as his number two in government warned the withdrawal was not a done deal.

Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom then cast another cloud over the chances of the so-called disengagement plan being carried out when he said the government would have to have a rethink if the radical Hamas movement triumphs in Palestinian legislative elections in July.

Sharon told public television that the withdrawal would take place “immediately after the (Jewish mourning day) of Tisha Be’Av — on (August) 15, 17 or 16? I don’t want to commit myself to an exact date.”

The premier had already strongly hinted he was in favour of a postponement from late July so that the evacuation did not begin until after the traditional mourning for the destruction of the second Jewish Temple which ends on August 14.—AFP