"The final vote in the government will be towards the end of January," a senior official quoted Sharon as telling the cabinet in its weekly meeting on Sunday.

The officials also quoted Sharon as saying that attacks against Israel by Palestinian military groups could delay the implementation

The cabinet has already approved the disengagement plan in principle, but final cabinet approval is needed before the settlements can be evacuated.

Sharon said the cabinet would set a timetable for pullout this month, but would meet again two weeks before the withdrawal to decide whether to go ahead. The removal of all settlements in the Gaza Strip and four in the northern West Bank is set to begin in July.

Security officials fear hard-line settlers may respond violently to evacuation. Mainstream settler leaders have called for non-violent resistance to a plan that they say would "reward Palestinian terror."