Posted on 07/01/2002 5:43:08 PM PDT by Phil V.
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Sharon tells faction he backs dismantling illegal outpostsA day after the Yesha settlement council evacuated 11 illegal settler outposts in the West Bank, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon expressed support Monday for the dismantling of illegal settlement outposts in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, but praised the settlement movement, calling the settlers "the pioneers of the third millennium."
Sharon, speaking to the Likud Knesset faction, said that he was in close contact with the American administration in order to make sure of the compatibility of the positions of both two countries with regards to the peace process.
Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer said earlier Monday that there were currently 34 outposts which were unlawful and would "require evacuation for the purposes of security."
Ben-Eliezer said Sunday that another nine illegal outposts, some of which are populated, would be dismantled within the next two weeks. On Monday he said that lists based on figures compiled by Israeli military authorities.
"I intend to take down everything that is illegal - everything that endangers and loads down the IDF with unnecessary burdens," Ben-Eliezer told Army Radio in a broadcast interview.
"I am not prepared to supply the needs of just anyone who wants to demonstrate his nationalism or his love for the Land of Israel by taking a place that's two kilometers over to the side [of an existing settlement] he, his wife, and his children."
Ben-Eliezer said that "From our documents and reports we have received, at the moment we have on the order of 34 outposts that are by definition, and which I define as, illegal, and which require evacuation for purposes of security." He indicated that at present, he had slated 20 for removal. He did not say what would become of the other 14.
On Sunday, Deputy Defense Minister Dalia Rabin-Pelossof said that settlers had agreed to take down the first 10 designated outposts by Monday, and another 10 in coming days. "If they do not, I understand from the defense minister that he has signalled he will evacuate them by force," she said.
PM: 'Opportunity of first order' for peace process Sharon said Monday that after President George W. Bush's recent address on the Middle East, Israel now faces an "opportunity of the first order" to make progress toward peace.
But Ben-Eliezer said Sharon had made a "very large mistake" by rejecting Foreign Minister Shimon Peres's proposal that Israel renew negotiations with senior Palestinians Authority officials.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with President Moshe Katsav, Sharon said that following the Bush speech, "We certainly see an opportunity of the first order to further the diplomatic process."
In his speech last week, Bush appeared to take a policy line close to Sharon's, when he hinted that Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat would have to go if future diplomatic efforts were to bear fruit.
"At the moment we are in close touch with the United States," Sharon said. We are certainly progressing on this matter, both in the sphere of economic and humantarian aid to the Palestinians - on which I gave very clear orders to the defense establishment last week over how to ease [restrictions] - and, of course, we are progressing from the diplomatic standpoint."
Sharon's remarks came as Israel temporarily lifted curfews it had imposed in West Bank cities since its forces entered the population centers two weeks ago.
Residents in Jenin, Qalqilyah, Ramallah, Bethlehem and Hebron poured into the streets to visit friends and relatives and to stock up on food.
IDF tanks and troops maintained a presence, but kept a low profile in the cities, Palestinians said. The curfew was expected to be reimposed in the afternoon.
In Bethlehem, the curfew was lifted for the third day in a row in what Palestinians said could indicate a new policy.
By Aluf Benn, Ha'aretz Correspondent, and Ha'aretz Service
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. . . next move: ARAFAT
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Panicky reforms from a sinking regimeBased on what is happening in the West Bank and Gaza, these could be the twilight days of the sinking Palestinian regime. Like a drowning man gasping at straws, Arafat and his people are issuing a stream of orders for governmental reforms. It's all being done to satisfy domestic pressures and even more, the external pressure from America. In East Jerusalem, they joked this weekend that the delivery of Bush's speech was delayed because it took time for the White House to find a translator from Hebrew to English. Meanwhile, there's relative quiet in the territories and the number of attacks has dropped, because the West Bank's cities (except for Jericho) are under renewed military occupation and curfew. The Palestinian media reported on Saturday that the American administration is pleased that the Palestinian Authority has begun reforms, but it is difficult to find anyone in the territories who seriously believes in the establishment of a corruption-free, efficient and democratically-based Palestinian government. Palestinian society is traditional, essentially Third World, and while they do not have full civil rights, they do have social protection much broader than anything in the West. In the worst pockets of poverty, like Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza, nobody is sleeping in the street. No Palestinian family would allow one of its children to be homeless. Wealthy Ramallah has no old-age homes, because the family makes sure that everyone has a roof over his or her head.
The PA's transition to an orderly, democratic structure is going to be a long process and cannot be created by panicky diktats. That is the current conventional wisdom among many in the territories who are tracking Israeli and American pressure on the crumbling PA. An example of that collapse can be found in the large advertisement that came out this weekend in Al Quds, the largest newspaper in the West Bank. Three prominent Palestinians of the left - Dr. Haider Abdul Shafi of Gaza, Dr. Mustafa Barghouti of Ramallah, and civil engineer Ibrahim Dakak of East Jerusalem - ran the advertisement, which was headlined "A Palestinian National Initiative for Progress Toward Freedom and Independence," and called for the establishment of a national emergency leadership. No mention of Arafat appeared in the ad, and there was more than a hint of criticism of his leadership. Dr. Shafi headed the Palestinian delegation to the Madrid conference and later led the Palestinian negotiations with Israel in Washington, while behind his back, Arafat negotiated in Oslo. Now, in an interview with ANN, an Arabic-language news network, Shafi speaks openly of his anger at that.
What kind of national emergency leadership could replace Arafat? All the possible alternatives have been rejected so far. Nobody is ready to consider a return of the Israeli military administration. The mayors and heads of public agencies in the West Bank reject any cooperation with a renewed occupation. "We are not the South Lebanese Army," said Bethlehem Mayor Hanna Nasser. A political cartoon shows Sharon pulling a skeleton labeled "Civil Administration" out of a grave. King Abdullah of Jordan also announced this weekend that he's not interested in the West Bank. "We will not agree that Israeli soldiers be replaced by Jordanian soldiers," he said.
One person who did come to the defense of Arafat and his regime was Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. He violated house arrest orders and over the weekend took part in a large demonstration in Gaza. Asked why he was provoking the PA, his aide, Ismail Haniya, said, "it wasn't a provocation. It was an all-Palestinian demonstration marking the anniversary of East Jerusalem's annexation. The sheikh will never lend a hand to an internal war." The lack of alternatives and fear of civil war is what protects Arafat and his people.
By Danny Rubinstein
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If Sharon "expressed support Monday for the dismantling of illegal settlement outposts" does that mean that Sharon ADMITS that there ARE illegal settlement outposts?
In this specific case I do not hear the world cheering . . . fact is, there's not a whole lot to cheer about when outposts with no people are "evacuated" . . . empty trailers and caravans "evacuated" . . . stage props dismantled . . .
The world cheers? FOR WHAT???
I applaud.
Then, by definition, it must be bad for the Jews.
The world cheers? FOR WHAT???
Judea and Samaria being made Judenrien.
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