Olmert: plan includes dismantling many settlements

[Gimel]

Israel's Deputy Prime Minister said Thursday Israel would have to dismantle "a considerable amount of settlements" under his plan for a unilateral withdrawal from some areas of the Gaza Strip and West Bank.




In an interview with The Associated Press, Ehud Olmert said he would soon reveal precise details of his plans for an Israeli pullback from some areas and the annexation of others.

Israel had to be prepared to take action on its own if peace talks with the Palestinians fail, something he regards as inevitable.

However, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia warned Thursday that such unilateral steps would only increase the bloodshed.

Olmert and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon have been talking in recent days about pulling out of parts of the territories Israel captured in the 1967 war.


<snip>

Unilateral separation will reduce the chances of fighting to a minimum because it will be an entirely new reality. That's precisely what scares the Palestinians," Olmert said, adding that the fate of the peace process was in the hands of the Palestinians.

"If they are unable to go ahead and unwilling to fight terror organizations, then there will be a unilateral, comprehensive step taken by the state of Israel, and I think that may indeed change fundamentally the situation in the Middle East," Olmert said.

<snip>

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/371010.html

If peace talks fail, there is no alternative but unilateral actions. This is very clear to me. The lack of inovation plays into the terrorists hands. The Peace Fence and unilateral withdrawl from some of the settlements seems like a major decision. Right-wing parties will oppose the move, but as I've said here before, Sharon has more laterality, and more power to move the country, even though he has only a coalition government. A left-wing coalition would find too many opponents on the right.

[Resistance]

1. memo(s) to Gimel

"the lack of innovation plays into the terrorists hands" -- the IDF are the terrorists.

There is no "Peace Fence": A wall which steals more land that doesn't belong to Israel has nothing to do with peace. We all know that.

[Gimel]

3. Israel is giving land

Remember? The Palestinians would prefer that hisory reads that they conquored the land. There is a Peace Fence built to prevent terrorists from continuing to take the toll from among the Israeli civilian population.

IDF soldiers are not terrorists. No international law is on your side.

[bluesoul]

4. And the International law

is supposed to be on Isral's side? Like with the occupations, illegals settlements, house and agriculture demolishment and indiscriminate killings? Aha, I thought so...

[papau]

2. "the lack of innovation plays into the terrorists hands"- Right- no change

continues the big stick/body count approach of both sides - the idea that when enough pain has occurred, the other side will cave.

But Geneva is a much fairer approach, although what appears to be unsaid is that Israel will not take the internal political hit of major settlement's being removed, if there is nothing on the table from the Palestians to sell the Israeli public on the idea that it is a worth while change.

[Gimel]

5. The Road Map

The plan forwrded by Bush, which was approved by the EU and Israel and the PA with much arm twisting, is actually less specific on how the progresses is made than on what the landmarks are. That is why I see the Genevea Accord as an important contribution that will be helpful in the long run. No single plan seems to fulfill everyone's dream for the future. It will have to be built, and no blueprint provided is identical with the final structure.