Al-Quds city, July 6, SPA -- Israel will ask Washington for hundredsof millions of dollars to help foot the bill for next month's US$2 billion (¤1.68 billion) evacuation of the Gaza Strip and four northern West Bank settlements, a senior Israeli official said Wednesday. Meanwhile, the government is considering declaring Gazasettlements off-limits to nonresidents to thwart an attemptby settlers to sabotage the evacuation by flooding the areawith protesters, an aide to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was quoted as saying by The Associated Press. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said in an interview withthe London-based Arabic newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat that heand Sharon might hold a summit before the pullout, set tobegin in mid-August. --SPA1344 Local Time 1044 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/274989