NRP chair says party will vote against 'roadmap'(UPDATE)

Jerusalem Post ^ | May. 23, 2003 | THE JERUSALEM POST INTERNET STAFF

[yonif]

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's announcement Friday that he is ready to accept the US-backed 'roadmap' plan to Mideast peace, and that he will present it to the government for approval next week, raised mixed responses among Israeli politicians.

Shnui Chairman MK Yossef (Tommy) Lapid said if Sharon is indeed to bring the plan to government approval, he would support it. Science and Technology Minister Eliezer (Modi) Sandberg of Shinui, however, said he was still reviewing his support of the plan. An American announcement earlier Friday that assured Israel its concerns regarding the plan would be taken into account did not suffice, he said, since it did not clearly term Palestinians' demands for the refugees' return as unacceptable during the establishment of a provisional Palestinian state.

According to an report on Israel Radio, Sharon briefed National Religious Party chair MK Effi Eitam Friday evening on the recent development. Eitam reportedly told Sharon the ministers of the NRP would oppose the plan when it is brought to the Cabinet's approval. Eitam said the party's ministers see the 'roadmap' as a danger to Israel's existence.

Earlier, Social Affairs Minister Zevulun Orlev (NRP) said the American statement was meaningless in that it evaded dealing directly with the Israeli reservations to the 'roadmap'.

National Union faction chair Yuri Stern said although his party understands that a great deal of international pressure is being laid on Sharon, his party would also oppose the plan. Accepting a series of concepts that contrast Israel's vital interests, he said, would be "national suicide."

A report on Army Radio, however, quoted sources in the Prime Minister's Office as saying despite the mixed responses to Sharon's announcement, he was sure the plan would be accepted by the government.

[LarryM]

Now that Bush has capitulated to Arafat and Sharon has capitulated to Bush, we'll see if the Likud party has any principles left to reject the road map to Auschwitz.

[richardtavor]

The roadmap is a disaster waiting to happen. The only hope for peace is to end the occupation (Arabs get out of West Bank, Gaza, and greater Israel.)