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Israeli Parliament Rejects Referendum on Gaza Withdrawal


Israel's parliament has rejected calling a national referendum on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to evacuate settlers and troops from the Gaza Strip later this year.

Monday's 72-39 vote all but ends legislative attempts to delay evacuating all 21 Jewish settlements in Gaza, along with four of the 120 settlements in the West Bank. The pullouts are set to start in July.

After the vote, a settlers' organization opposed to the withdrawal accused Mr. Sharon of ruining chances to prevent "violent confrontation and civil war." It vowed to try to block the pullout with protests.

Meanwhile, a car explosion in Gaza City wounded one man. It was not immediately clear what caused the blast and the Israeli army says it was not operating in the area at the time.

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