Haaretz
Adar 10, 5766
Khaled Meshal, the head of Hamas' political bureau,
views Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's plan to shape Israel's permanent
borders as a declaration of war on the Palestinian people, the French news
agency AFP reported Friday.
A short
time later on Friday an EU official said that aid to a Hamas-led
Palestinian government may have to be cut off "unless it seeks peace by
peaceful means."
Meshal said Olmert's plan is not a peace plan, but
constitutes "unilateral moves that will allow Israel to remain in most of
the West Bank through construction of the fence, leaving in its hands the
settlements and Jerusalem and rejecting the right of return," according to
the report. Meshal was quoted as saying that "Olmert is repeating Sharon's
mistakes."
Olmert's plan slammed
Israeli politicians from
both the right and left also criticized Olmert on Friday and spurned
unilateral action.
Olmert told Haaretz on Thursday that if he is
elected prime minister, Israel will set down permanent borders within four
years, separating itself from the "decisive majority" of the Palestinian
population of the West Bank. He also said he will build up the disputed
E-1 zone between Jerusalem and the West Bank settlement of Ma'aleh Adumim,
despite American opposition.
To read the full interview, click
here.
"Olmert's withdrawal plan is the most extreme
leftist plan that has ever been presented to the Israeli public," MK
Gideon Sa'ar said Friday. "What [Ehud] Barak offered at Camp David, in
exchange for a permanent agrement and the end of the conflict, Olmert is
planning to give without getting anything in exchange and with no
agrement."
MK Uzi Landau, who ran against Benjamin Netanyahu for
the Likud chairmanship after leading the campaign against the
disengagement plan, said Olmert's proposed borders would not create enough
distance from Hamas and told Israel Radio that voting for Olmert "is like
letting a small child play with matches."
"This plan explains why
Abu Mazen wants Olmert to win the elections," said Landau. He was
referring to Landau was referring to an interview Palestinian Authority
Chairman Mahmoud Abbas gave to an Italian newspaper. He was quoted as
endorsing Olmert, but later disavowed the comments.
Labor Party
chairman Amir Peretz said Olmert had not stated who he planned to hold
negotiations with, and warned that unilateral action would be "a very
serious mistake." He called for talks with Abbas.
Olmert said he
plans to offer the settlers a deal in in an effort to reach an agreement
about Israel's withdrawal line in the West Bank: convergence into the
large settlement blocs and the expansion of those blocs in exchange for
evacuation of settlements beyond whatever border is set.
"I believe
that in four years' time Israel will be disengaged from the vast majority
of the Palestinian population, within new borders, with the route of the
fence - which until now has been a security fence - adjusted to the new
line of the permanent borders," he said.
"It could be that there
will be cases in which we move the fence eastward, and it could be that
there will be cases in which we move it westward, in accordance with a
line that we will agree upon. We will take a crucial step forward in the
shaping of Israel as a Jewish state, in which there is a solid and stable
Jewish majority that is not at risk."
Olmert will attempt to
garner domestic and international support for shaping Israel's permanent
border with the Palestinians. He wants to make sure Israel holds on to
Ariel, Ma'aleh Adumim, the Jerusalem envelope and Gush Etzion; establish
the Jordan Valley as a security border and provide the Israel Defense
Forces with freedom of action in the West Bank, similar to the
post-disengagement situation in the Gaza Strip.
Olmert also
promises to build up the E-1 area linking Jerusalem and Ma'aleh Adumim.
The plan was frozen last year due to American opposition, but according to
Olmert, Israelis agree there should be contiguity, while the Palestinians
and Americans recognize there will be.
"It is completely clear
that the contiguity between Jerusalem and Ma'aleh Adumim will be built
up," said Olmert. "This is clear both to the Palestinians and to the U.S.
In my opinion, on this matter there is a full consensus in Israel."
Meretz-Yachad chairman Yossi Beilin said Friday that while he does
support continued Israeli sovereignty over Ma'aleh Adumim - a point Olmert
raised in the interview - he completely opposes building up
E-1.
"Whoever proposes building up E-1 is essentially preventing a
permanent Israeli-Palestinian agreement," Beilin told Israel Radio.
"Whoever builds up E-1 is preventing a contiguous Palestinian
state."
Olmert said there is now a "window of opportunity" for
reaching an international agreement on setting the border, in the wake of
Hamas' rise to power and domestic support following the Gaza pullout.
If the Hamas-led Palestinian government accepts the prerequisites
of disarmament, recognition of Israel and acceptance of previous
agreements, Olmert is prepared to negotiate with Hamas based on the
roadmap. But his comments indicate he doesn't think this option has much
of a chance.