Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, addressing parliament, vowed on Monday to submit his controversial Gaza withdrawal plan to a parliamentary vote on October 25. The plan involves the evacuation of 21 Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip, and has been fiercely opposed by pro-settler nationalists. Sharon added that following the vote on "disengagement," he would present legislation detailing compensation for evacuated Jewish settlers in the first week of November. Isreal's Prime Minister's Office has posted the full text of Sharon's Knesset speech here. Reuters has more.

UPDATE: In a show of symbolic opposition to Sharon's initiative, the Israeli Knesset Monday voted down his speech on Gaza by 53-44. From Israel, Haaretz has more.