Egypt's offer to deploy security advisers in Gaza

On Friday the French authorities made a statement that they support Egypt's offer to send security advisers to the Gaza Strip to prevent possible chaos caused by the post-pullback vacuum.

American Middle East envoy William Burns is in the region talking with officials on both sides about the planned Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip. In what's reported to be the largest security operation in Nablus within the last year, Israeli troops are conducting house-to-house searches and detaining some residents.

The military has cordoned off the Old City of Nablus with concrete barriers and barbed wire. Soldiers handed out leaflets to residents saying they were looking for a half-dozen suspected militants and possible weapons workshops in the city.

Representatives of the Quartet met on Thursday in the Egyptian resort town of Taba and expressed support for the Egyptian efforts to implement the disengagement plan.

"The Egyptian efforts to set up an orderly framework will be crucial to the success of the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza," they said in a statement after meeting in Taba.

In an interview with Palestinian newspaper Al-Ayyam on Thursday, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia said the various Palestinian Authority security agencies would be consolidated by September.

The delegates decided to set up a steering committee representing the states contributing to the Palestinians, to spearhead the economic and humanitarian aid to rehabilitate the Gaza Strip.