During his meeting in Egypt last week with President Hosni Mubarak, Defense Minister Ehud Barak discussed the possibility of replacing the Hamas regime in Gaza with an international force, Arab media sources are reporting.

Saudi Arabia and Egypt are pushing a plan that would call for the deployment of an Arab force in Gaza, headed by Egyptian officers, the UAE-based el-Halij newspaper reports. According to the report, Hamas rejected the plan.

The master plan also calls for the deployment of Jordanian forces throughout Yehuda and Shomron to replace PA security forces.

Defense Ministry officials declined comment.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)