Israel's Sharon aims to scrap peace plan - report
Reuters | 03.01.2006 01:03
And just as Israel draws international condemnation for its new military campaign - Operation First Rain - which was prepared as the media was busy praising Sharon for surrendering stolen land (even as he seized even more territory in the W. Bank), unnamed "Israeli and American experts" (perhaps the ones who knew Saddam was armed to the teeth with WMD ...) today shouted "Al Qaeda is setting up shop in Gaza!!!".
Israel's Sharon aims to scrap peace plan - report
02 Jan 2006 11:19:05 GMT
Source: Reuters
(Adds Palestinian reaction paragraphs 4,13)
By Dan Williams
JERUSALEM, Jan 2 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon plans eventually to scrap a U.S.-led "road map" to peace with the Palestinians and instead seek Washington's blessing for annexing occupied West Bank land, a newspaper said on Monday.
The report by senior staff of Maariv newspaper gave no source, but Sharon's initial plans for last year's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip were first floated in a similar way.
Sharon's spokesman declined comment, while a senior Israeli political source dismissed the report as "pure speculation".
A senior Palestinian official said he doubted whether the United States or the European Union would endorse the plan described by Maariv.
The paper said Sharon, who is up for re-election in March, would argue that Israel was justified in abandoning the peace plan and setting borders unilaterally because of the failure of the Palestinians to crack down on militant groups.
In public, Sharon remains very much committed to the road map for a Palestinian state on land captured in the 1967 Middle East war alongside a secure Israel. But Palestinians have long said they suspect Sharon intends to dictate terms.
The Palestinians have failed to fulfil their obligation under the plan to start disarming factions spearheading a 5-year-old revolt. Israel has not met its own promise to stop expanding Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
The Maariv report said Sharon would go public with his new plan after Palestinian parliamentary elections this month, when Israeli intelligence has predicted a new outbreak of violence.
Maariv said Israeli officials had already presented the idea to counterparts in President George W. Bush([search])'s administration.
"(They) explained to the Americans that since there is no real chance of any achievement in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, the natural partner for this matter is Washington, the Middle East's superpower-broker," Maariv said.
PALESTINIANS INCREDULOUS
Bush supported Sharon's Gaza pullout as a potential spur for peace but has angered Palestinians by announcing that Israel could expect to keep some West Bank land under any final accord.
The U.S. embassy spokesman was not immediately available for comment.
Senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat voiced doubts about future backing for such a plan. "Maybe this is the wishful thinking of certain people in the Israeli government, but I do not think the United States or European Union would ever be a part of such schemes," he said.
Maariv said that even before the March 28 general election, Sharon would propose evacuating dozens of West Bank settlements, allowing for the creation of a temporary Palestinian state on a single stretch of land in that territory and in Gaza.
In exchange, Maariv said, Israel wants Bush to endorse its annexation of other West Bank areas as well as parts of Arab East Jerusalem. Israel also wants U.S. backing for its demand that Palestinian war refugees be allowed to settle in the eventual Palestinian state but never in the Jewish state.
Opinion polls show that Sharon, who has vowed to try to end conflict with the Palestinians if elected for a third term, is the clear favourite.
Prospects for a negotiated settlement may be complicated by gains predicted for Hamas, an Islamic militant group sworn to the Jewish state's destruction, when it runs for the Palestinian parliament on Jan. 25.
A Sharon confidant dismissed the Maariv report.
"This is pure speculation. We and the Palestinians have hardly started implementing the road map, so it's way too early to declare it dead," the confidant said.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L02599635.htm
Israeli Army redeploys on Egypt Gaza borders PDF Print E-mail
Manar Jibrin-IMEMC & Agencies - Monday, 02 January 2006, 14:27
Image
Israeli army will start its redeployment on the Egyptian-Israeli borders on Monday starting from the Kerem Shalom crossing to the Nitzana salient, Israeli online daily Ynetnews reported.
A senior Israeli army officer said that the deployment aims to create a fortified wall and prevent any infiltration into Israeli territory using numerous and diverse methods.
A large number of soldiers are expected to arrive at the border Monday afternoon, south of the Philadelphi route.
Israel intends to install guarding towers, place armored personnel carriers and other various means in the area, some of the means are revealed while others concealed.
Later on, more soldiers will join the southern division deployed there, and the Israel Air Force will patrol over the Gaza Strip and border from the air; unmanned planes will also be conducting continuous tours along the Gaza-Egypt borders.
Israel claims that since it's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, Palestinian factions are trying to smuggle combat tools whether using tunnels or through the Egypt-Gaza borders.
Also, a senior Israeli army official reported that another goal of this plan is to halt criminal smuggling activities.
The Ynetnews said that the first step in the security revolution will be implemented Monday by the Gaza division's southern unit, commanded by Colonel Avi Peled.
The redeployment plan comes in coherence with an Israeli military plan, prepared by the Israeli Defense Minister to reinvade several areas in the Gaza Strip, and ongoing shelling of several Palestinian areas in order to evacuate them and create a "security zone".
The army official explained; "The new "borderline" will look like a normal continuous security border, from placing towers and patrols up to increments that are unique to the zone, quiet activities and others, technological means from the ground and the air, a combination of the air force and professional drivers from special units".
He claimed that signs of the global Islamic Jihad have already been spotted in Egypt, and Israel "must act in order to prevent the movement from entering Gaza".
http://www.imemc.org/content/view/15827/1/
02 Jan 2006 11:19:05 GMT
Source: Reuters
(Adds Palestinian reaction paragraphs 4,13)
By Dan Williams
JERUSALEM, Jan 2 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon plans eventually to scrap a U.S.-led "road map" to peace with the Palestinians and instead seek Washington's blessing for annexing occupied West Bank land, a newspaper said on Monday.
The report by senior staff of Maariv newspaper gave no source, but Sharon's initial plans for last year's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip were first floated in a similar way.
Sharon's spokesman declined comment, while a senior Israeli political source dismissed the report as "pure speculation".
A senior Palestinian official said he doubted whether the United States or the European Union would endorse the plan described by Maariv.
The paper said Sharon, who is up for re-election in March, would argue that Israel was justified in abandoning the peace plan and setting borders unilaterally because of the failure of the Palestinians to crack down on militant groups.
In public, Sharon remains very much committed to the road map for a Palestinian state on land captured in the 1967 Middle East war alongside a secure Israel. But Palestinians have long said they suspect Sharon intends to dictate terms.
The Palestinians have failed to fulfil their obligation under the plan to start disarming factions spearheading a 5-year-old revolt. Israel has not met its own promise to stop expanding Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
The Maariv report said Sharon would go public with his new plan after Palestinian parliamentary elections this month, when Israeli intelligence has predicted a new outbreak of violence.
Maariv said Israeli officials had already presented the idea to counterparts in President George W. Bush([search])'s administration.
"(They) explained to the Americans that since there is no real chance of any achievement in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, the natural partner for this matter is Washington, the Middle East's superpower-broker," Maariv said.
PALESTINIANS INCREDULOUS
Bush supported Sharon's Gaza pullout as a potential spur for peace but has angered Palestinians by announcing that Israel could expect to keep some West Bank land under any final accord.
The U.S. embassy spokesman was not immediately available for comment.
Senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat voiced doubts about future backing for such a plan. "Maybe this is the wishful thinking of certain people in the Israeli government, but I do not think the United States or European Union would ever be a part of such schemes," he said.
Maariv said that even before the March 28 general election, Sharon would propose evacuating dozens of West Bank settlements, allowing for the creation of a temporary Palestinian state on a single stretch of land in that territory and in Gaza.
In exchange, Maariv said, Israel wants Bush to endorse its annexation of other West Bank areas as well as parts of Arab East Jerusalem. Israel also wants U.S. backing for its demand that Palestinian war refugees be allowed to settle in the eventual Palestinian state but never in the Jewish state.
Opinion polls show that Sharon, who has vowed to try to end conflict with the Palestinians if elected for a third term, is the clear favourite.
Prospects for a negotiated settlement may be complicated by gains predicted for Hamas, an Islamic militant group sworn to the Jewish state's destruction, when it runs for the Palestinian parliament on Jan. 25.
A Sharon confidant dismissed the Maariv report.
"This is pure speculation. We and the Palestinians have hardly started implementing the road map, so it's way too early to declare it dead," the confidant said.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L02599635.htm Israeli Army redeploys on Egypt Gaza borders PDF Print E-mail
Manar Jibrin-IMEMC & Agencies - Monday, 02 January 2006, 14:27
Image
Israeli army will start its redeployment on the Egyptian-Israeli borders on Monday starting from the Kerem Shalom crossing to the Nitzana salient, Israeli online daily Ynetnews reported.
A senior Israeli army officer said that the deployment aims to create a fortified wall and prevent any infiltration into Israeli territory using numerous and diverse methods.
A large number of soldiers are expected to arrive at the border Monday afternoon, south of the Philadelphi route.
Israel intends to install guarding towers, place armored personnel carriers and other various means in the area, some of the means are revealed while others concealed.
Later on, more soldiers will join the southern division deployed there, and the Israel Air Force will patrol over the Gaza Strip and border from the air; unmanned planes will also be conducting continuous tours along the Gaza-Egypt borders.
Israel claims that since it's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, Palestinian factions are trying to smuggle combat tools whether using tunnels or through the Egypt-Gaza borders.
Also, a senior Israeli army official reported that another goal of this plan is to halt criminal smuggling activities.
The Ynetnews said that the first step in the security revolution will be implemented Monday by the Gaza division's southern unit, commanded by Colonel Avi Peled.
The redeployment plan comes in coherence with an Israeli military plan, prepared by the Israeli Defense Minister to reinvade several areas in the Gaza Strip, and ongoing shelling of several Palestinian areas in order to evacuate them and create a "security zone".
The army official explained; "The new "borderline" will look like a normal continuous security border, from placing towers and patrols up to increments that are unique to the zone, quiet activities and others, technological means from the ground and the air, a combination of the air force and professional drivers from special units".
He claimed that signs of the global Islamic Jihad have already been spotted in Egypt, and Israel "must act in order to prevent the movement from entering Gaza".
http://www.imemc.org/content/view/15827/1/
Reuters