Israel's Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gestures during a press conference announcing his resignation
The Israeli Cabinet has approved the first stage of the upcoming pullout from the Gaza Strip.
Israel's Cabinet gave a green light for the evacuation of the first three Jewish settlements in Gaza. The vote was 19 to five. Among the dissenters was Finance Minister and former Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu, who dropped a bombshell and resigned in protest over the Gaza pullout. He said the withdrawal is a mistake and an act of blindness.
"I cannot be part of a process that creates a base for Islamic terror that will threaten the state of Israel," Mr. Netanyahu told a news conference.
The resignation is Mr. Netanyahu's first step toward challenging Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for the leadership of the hawkish Likud party once the pullout is over. Mr. Sharon infuriated the party with his Gaza withdrawal plan, which many see as a betrayal of traditional Likud ideals, such as settling the biblical land of Israel. Now, Mr. Netanyahu, who is 55, sees an opportunity to win back the party by placing himself squarely in the national camp.
Eliza Herbst, a spokeswoman for the settlers, says it's better late than never.
"We welcome Netanyahu back to his ideological roots, it's a very happy day for us," she said.
While Mr. Netanyahu's resignation stole the spotlight, it will have no effect on the Gaza pullout. The Cabinet set the wheels in motion for the evacuation of 21 Gaza settlements, along with four more in the West Bank. More than 9,000 settlers will be removed from their homes, and those who do not leave voluntarily will be removed by force. The process begins next week.
Benjamin Netanyahu
Israeli Finance Minster  has resigned from the cabinet Sunday to protest against the upcoming Israeli withdrawal from the  and part of the  according to a ministry spokesman.

Netanyahu submitted a resignation letter to  that he said counts as his vote against the pullout plan. He also told reporters, "I understand the ambition to leave Gaza. I can't be part of a move that I believe is wrong, a move that will endanger security and divide the people."

Sharon pushed for the pullout within his highly split , which in a recent 17 to 5 vote, approved the evacuation plan. The Israeli Army will assist in evacuation efforts of the first group of settlers in , , and .

Sharon named the Vice Prime Minister  as the new finance minister.

The forced evacuations, or "disengagement", of settlers is due to start after August 15. There are nearly 8,500 Jewish residents who live within fortified fences in Gaza. The settlements are surrounded by an Arab Palestinian population of approximately 1.5 million.

In a Sunday news conference, Netanyahu said the current evacuation plan has similarities to the 1993 . In that accord, Netanyahu had drawn criticism in his role as Prime Minister for what some say was a failure to adequately insure Israeli security. The  gained more autonomy over some parts of the occupied territories in the accords. 

Netanyahu said of the Gaza withdrawal, the Palestinian leadership is again being rewarded without concession.

The resignation is seen as a step by Netanyahu towards challenging Sharon for the leadership of the Likud party once the pullout is over. Netanyahu may have an opportunity to win back the party by placing himself in the national camp.

Netanyahu was one of the most vocal in claiming Saddam was preparing "Weapons of Mass Destruction" and he repeatedly urged America to invade Iraq on that basis.