Quds City, Sept 13, SPA -- Israel will offer large cash advances on compensation to Jewish settlers to entice them to leave their homes, Cabinet ministers said Monday. A compensation bill was to be approved by the security Cabinet on Tuesday, months ahead of the planned dismantling of settlements in Gaza and a small part of the West Bank, the ministers said on condition of anonymity. However, it could be several weeks before any money is actually paid. About 8,500 settlers are to be removed from their homes next year as part of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan of "unilateral disengagement" from the Palestinians. He says the plan will improve Israeli security after four years of fighting with the Palestinians. The total compensation per family is expected to range between US$200,000-US$500,000, the ministers said. The advances, based on the value of lost homes and property as well as the number of years a family has lived in its settlement, will amount to one-third of the total sum, officials said.
