Sharon Says Israel Might Use Wall to Create Palestinian Border
By GREG MYRE
Published: December 18, 2003
ERUSALEM, Dec. 18 — Israel's prime minister, Ariel Sharon, said in a major policy address today that if the current peace efforts fail to bring progress within months, Israel will begin severing links with the Palestinians by pulling out of some settlements and establishing a new "security line."
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But Mr. Sharon said Israel was prepared to take one-sided actions that would involve drawing "new conditional security lines" and removing some more isolated settlements. He refused to name any settlements that might be dismantled but said, "Israel will not remain in all those locations where we are today."
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"The security line will not be the final border of the state of Israel," the prime minister said. "But until the implementation of the road map, that is where" the military will be deployed.
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For the past month, Mr. Sharon has spoken in general terms about unilateral measures that Israel may take if the peace negotiations fail to produce any results.
The Israeli news media have reported that Mr. Sharon is prepared to give the current peace efforts six months, and after that Israel will seriously consider the unilateral steps.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/18/international/middleeast/18CND-SHAR.html?ex=1072789226&ei=1&en=dd950ecae9a87dc8