[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA: If Israel is out of Gaza before the inauguration
it may have the status of "old news" when the media finishes with what is
expected to be unprecedented coverage of an American presidential
inauguration. Sure, the world media will still get color stories from Gaza
of the destruction etc. but if Gaza is "old news" it will take a back seat
to other world new that develops.]

Senior officials tell visiting European leaders that, barring any unforeseen
developments, Israel will withdraw all IDF forces from Strip as gesture to
incoming US president and to consolidate 'anti-smuggling' memorandum
Roni Sofer YNET Published: 01.19.09, 00:33 / Israel News
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3658377,00.html

Barring any unforeseen developments, Israeli forces are expected to complete
their withdrawal from Gaza prior to the inauguration of US President-elect
Barack Obama on January 20 (7 pm GMT).

Israel's plan to withdraw prior to the inauguration as a gesture to the
incoming US president was mentioned during Sunday's talks between visiting
European leaders and Ehud Olmert at the prime minister's official Jerusalem
residence.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Spanish
Premier Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, German Chancellor Angela Merkel,
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Czech PM, Mirek Topolánek, all
traveled to the Middle East over the weekend to assist in the Gaza ceasefire
efforts.

Senior officials who attended a dinner party with the world leaders at the
PM's residence, including Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Foreign Minister
Tzipi Livni and Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel is looking to
complete its withdrawal as soon as possible.

Israel has conditioned its pullout on the complete halt of all rocket
attacks on its southern region and the stability of the ceasefire in Gaza.

Cabinet ministers told Ynet that Israel does not want to "embarrass" Obama
as he takes office and is hoping to continue its cooperation with the US in
the global fight against Islamist terror and the prevention of arms
smuggling into Gaza, in accordance with the "memorandum of understanding"
signed this week by Livni and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Leaving Gaza (Photo: AP)

The IDF began pulling some of its troops out of Gaza earlier in the day, and
reservists who were called-up by an emergency draft order may be discharged
as early as Tuesday.

IDF officials estimate that Hamas will begin to assess the damage done to
the group in the coming days. "When the leaders will come out of their
hideouts, they will have to confront the Palestinian population - and then
they will realize that another round of fighting against Israel is not in
their best interest," one official said.

Among the troops who have left Gaza are soldiers serving in kidnapped IDF
soldier Gilad Shalit's former unit. The tank involved in the kidnapping has
long been made operational again, and was part of the Israeli offensive in
Gaza.

Some of them told Ynet they felt a clear sense of mission entering Gaza,
that they had score to settle with Hamas, but that they have since realized
they would not be able to bring their comrade home; but "If what we did here
did anything to help bringing him home. it feels good."

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"We wish things were different," said one of the soldiers, "but we're
leaving proud of the fact that we hurt those who have made everyday life so
hard for the people of the western Negev."

The final decision on continuing to pull troops out of the Strip is in the
hands of IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Gabi Ashkenazi and Shin Bet
Chief Yuval Diskin. Any decision they make would pend the approval of Olmert
and Barak.

Hanan Greenberg contributed to the report