REPORT ON ISRAELI SETTLEMENT IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES A Bimonthly Publication of the Foundation for Middle East Peace Volume 14 Number 6 November-December 2004 SHARON PURSUES DISENGAGEMENT, BUSH DEMANDS PALESTINIAN DEMOCRACY The government of Prime Minister the Knesset vote Sharon declared, during the elections and as Prime Ariel Sharon, ravaged by defections in Minister, I have repeatedly and publicly the Likud and the ruling coalition, is “I know the implications and impact said that I support the establishment of proceeding undeterred along its estab- of the Knesset’s decision on the lives of a Palestinian state alongside the State of lished timetable for the evacuation of all thousands of Israelis who have lived in Israel. I have repeatedly and openly said 17 settlements in the Gaza Strip and the Gaza Strip for many years, who that I am willing to make painful com- four others in the northern West Bank were sent there on behalf of the govern- promises in order to put an end to this by the end of 2005. ments of Israel, and who built homes ongoing and malignant conflict between On October 27, the Knesset, by a there, planted trees and grew flowers, those who struggle over this land, and vote of 67–45, endorsed the Sharon and who gave birth to sons and daugh- that I would do my utmost in order to “disengagement” plan that was approved ters, who have not known any other bring peace. by his cabinet in June. Sharon’s parlia- home. I am well aware of the fact that I “And I wish, Mr. Chairman, to say mentary victory was an important step sent them and took part in this enter- that many years before, in 1988, in a closer to an operative Knesset endorse- prise, and many of these people are my meeting with Prime Minister Yitzhak ment of the settlements’ evacuation, personal friends. I am well aware of Shamir and with the ministers of the which continues to enjoy wide popular their pain, rage and despair. However, as Likud, I said there that I believe that if support. Like the earlier cabinet en- much as I understand everything they we do not want to be pushed back to dorsement, however, the Knesset vote are going through during these days and the 1967 lines, the territory should be did not explicitly authorize the physical everything they will face as a result of divided.” withdrawal of settlements and armed the necessary decision to be made in the forces from Gaza or the northern West Knesset today, I also believe in the In a successful effort to win the votes Bank. necessity of taking the step of disen- of a majority of recalcitrant Likud back In an often eloquent speech before gagement in these areas, with all the benchers and to admonish his oppo- pain it entails, and I am determined to nents in the religious right-wing, complete this mission. I am firmly con- Sharon invoked the hallowed name of See our website for recent vinced and truly believe that this disen- former prime minister Menachem articles, reports, maps, and gagement will strengthen Israel’s hold Begin as a way to affirm the priority of over territory which is essential to our his nationalist credentials and to caution pictures: www.fmep.org. existence, and will be welcomed and against religious messianism. Also in this issue: appreciated by those near and far, “I wish to end with a quotation from reduce animosity, break through boy- Prime Minister Menachem Begin, who Israel’s New Roadmap 3 cotts and sieges, and advance us along at the end of December 1977, said on Settlement Time Line 4 the path of peace with the Palestinians this podium (and I quote): Settlement Update 8 and our other neighbors. ‘I once said, during an argument with ——— ◆ ——— “I am accused of deceiving the peo- people from Gush Emunim, that I love Arabic and Hebrew translations of ple and the voters because I am taking them today, and will continue to like recent Settlement Reports can be viewed steps which are in total opposition to them tomorrow. I told them: you are at www.fmep.org. past things I have said and deeds I have done. This is a false accusation. Both SHARON, continued on page 5 TO OUR READERS FOUNDATION FOR MIDDLE EAST PEACE The stars are never perfectly aligned for more aggressive diplomacy, including a set- a breakthrough toward Israeli-Palestinian tlement freeze. An Op-Ed in the New York Merle Thorpe, Jr. peace, but the environment today offers Times by former Secretary of State James Founder new opportunities. The death of Yasser Baker urged a stronger peace effort, and (1917–1994) Arafat has removed the “no partner” argu- there are other signs that a new initiative ment that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon from Washington would enjoy wide public Philip C. Wilcox, Jr. had used to avoid negotiations. Palestinian support. President presidential elections in January 2005 To lose this opportunity would be tragic. Geoffrey Aronson should give a new president stature to reen- Yet, as Jeff Aronson points out in this Director, Research and gage in peace talks and reform. Mahmoud Report, Sharon is still determined to pre- Publications, Editor, Report on Abbas, who appears likely to win, is a prag- serve Israel’s settlements and domination in Israeli Settlement in the Occupied Territories matic moderate. He opposes violence, and the West Bank and to defeat Palestinian is now seeking a cease-fire with HAMAS. aspirations for a genuine, sovereign state. Ashely Brott Sharon now leads a minority govern- Although President Bush has promised to Editorial Assistant ment, and must rely on the Labor Party to work for a Palestinian state, he and his Joyce Ibrahim survive in office and implement his Gaza advisors are still emphasizing democratic Sharon Larsen disengagement plan. For the first time, reform as the key to statehood and peace. Interns Sharon has said he would coordinate the Thus far they have said little about the no plan with the Palestinians. less important need for evacuating settle- TRUSTEES Here at home, there is growing support ments and negotiating viable borders. for renewed American leadership. Leaders Lucius D. Battle of the two largest American Jewish syna- Landrum R. Bolling gogue unions and 71 other Jewish leaders Calvin H. Cobb, Jr. have written to President Bush supporting James J. Cromwell Peter Gubser Stephen Hartwell Richard S.T. Marsh Richard W. Murphy Jean C. Newsom Gail Pressberg William B. Quandt Nicholas A. Veliotes The Foundation, a non- profit I.R.C. 501(c)(3) organization, supports peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians through mutual recognition and a negotiated division of historic Pales- tine. It publishes the bi- monthly Report on Israeli Settlement in the Occupied Territories. Copyright © 2004 2 ❖ Report on Israeli Settlement November-December 2004 ISRAEL PROPOSES A SEPARATE ROAD NETWORK FOR PALESTINIANS Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon is determined to leave a icant locales. The success of this program lead in 1984 to the legacy maximizing Israel’s territorial interests that his succes- publication of Road Plan 50, the crystallization of Israel’s sors will have no choice but to sustain. Settlement expansion intention to construct a dedicated network of roads to facili- throughout the West Bank and East Jerusalem remains his tate settlement expansion. enduring trademark. The disengagement plan for the Gaza In an unsuccessful objection to the plan before Israel’s Strip is another element in this strategy, as are the separation High Court, Palestinian attorney Raja Shehadeh argued that barrier, the emasculation of the Palestinian Authority, and the “the way the roads have been designed means that Palestinian closure economy imposed after Israel’s military reoccupation towns and villages will be greatly restricted in their develop- of Areas A and B in the West Bank in April 2002. ment, with many roads creating tight rings around their exist- In recent months, the Sharon government has without fan- ing boundaries.” fare proposed yet another element in this design—the Israel did not attempt to establish a security rationale for “Continuous Movement Plan” for Palestinians, which like the the plan in its arguments before the court. Indeed the court others noted above, aims at consolidating Israel’s permanent ruled, however improbably, that the proposed network of hold on about half of the West Bank and its strategic domina- bypass roads would benefit the local population. tion of the remaining territories conquered in June 1967. The Palestinian rebellion against Israeli rule that erupted The plan is meant to answer the strategic problem inherent in 1987 focused on attacking settler vehicles with stones. By in the territorial framework defined in the Oslo II agreement 1990, Road Plan 50 had evolved into the “intifada bypass” and exacerbated by the heightened security needs of many road plan. The uprising fortified the Israeli view of the neces- West Bank settlements resulting from the four-year-old sity to create a transport network for a growing settler popula- Palestinian intifada—how to enable Palestinians to travel tion separate and distinct from the one serving Palestinians. between the territorial islands formalized by Oslo—Areas A In 1990 100 kilometers of new roads were paved in the and B, comprising about 40 percent of the West Bank—on West Bank alone to serve settlements including Beitar, Dolev, roads not used by settlers. Sharon has described his objective Hermesh, Karnei Shomron, Kedar, Otniel, Revava, Shani, and as assuring “transportation continuity” for Palestinians in Talmon Bet. these areas, where Israel favors a form of Palestinian self-rule By 1992, the Ministry of Housing and Construction’s and ersatz independence.