HERZLIYA, Israel Ñ Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has endorsed the U.S. plan for an interim Palestinian state.
The so-called "roadmap," sets a timetable for an interim Palestinian state in 2003 and a country with permanent borders in 2005.
Sharon said he will obtain formal approval for the plan drafted by the United
States, United Nations, European Union and Russia should he win parliamentary
elections on Jan. 28.
It was the first time he has publicly detailed his views on the plan which differ significantly from those of the Palestinian Authority and are opposed by his own political allies in the current government, Middle East Newsline reported
"It is a logical, wise plan that can be implemented," Sharon said. "We
accepted in principle the Bush formula. Israel will not return to control
territories from which we withdrew in political settlements."
Sharon said the Palestinian state would be demilitarized and be ruled by
a democratic regime. He said this would involve the removal of Palestinian
Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat from decision-making and Palestinian
elections.
At the same time, Sharon said, the Palestinians would be forced to
dismantle what the prime minister termed all of their security
organizations. They would be replaced by two or three new agencies, which
will be comprised of a police force and security bodies and cooperate with
Israel. Sharon said terrorism would be outlawed and a new Palestinian
interior minister would be responsible for collecting illegal weapons and
transferring them to a third party. At that point, the weapons would be
removed from Palestinian areas and destroyed.
After this process, Sharon said, an interim Palestinian state will be
completed and contain at least 40 percent of the West Bank. He said Israel
would control passages to the Palestinian state as well as control its air
space. The new Palestinian state will not be allowed to form alliances with
Israel's enemies.
"No progress will be made from one phase to the next until such time as
quiet has been restored, Palestinian rule has undergone fundamental changes,
and coexistence is ensured," Sharon said.
In the first stage, Israel will agree to contiguity between areas within
the West Bank and Gaza Strip. But Israel will not allow contiguity between
the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Sharon's vision differed sharply with those of his allies in his current
right-wing government. National Infrastructure Minister Effie Eitam said,
head of the National Religious Party, said Israel would quickly lose all
control of the process of establishing a Palestinian state. He expressed
skepticism whether Israel could ensure that a Palestinian state would be
demilitarized or democratic.
"The minute that Israel utters the word 'Palestinian state' the
international community and the Palestinians will understand that the
conflict has been decided." Eitam said. "He [Sharon] is saying that
historically and strategically you have won."
Sharon's view of the roadmap differs from that of the Palestinian
Authority. PA officials said Sharon's assertion of a restructuring of any
Palestinian government and security services is contained in the document.
But they said the roadmap has been significantly revised and progress toward
a state is no longer linked to either the emergence of a Palestinian
democracy or the removal of Arafat. They said the new roadmap does not
mention Arafat.
Instead, the officials said, the Palestinian leadership must affirm its
commitment to a solution hat includes Israel's existence. In return, the
Nov. 14 draft of the roadmap calls on Israel to relay its commitment to end
the war against the Palestinians and withdraw to areas captured since the
conflict began in September 2000.
PA officials said under the latest draft of the roadmap, a Palestinian
state could be established as early as May 2003. In the meantime, Israel
will be committed to dismantling all communities established in the West
Bank since March 2001.
