Artículo de Aluf Benn en "Ha´a retz" del 5-12-02

In his most programmatic and detailed acceptance yet of President George W. Bush's June 24 "vision" for peace between Israel and the Palestinians, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon yesterday told the Herzliya conference on national security that if he is reelected he will form a unity government based on the "Bush framework."

A senior government source said last night that Sharon believes he will be able to reach an agreement with Labor to join a unity government that adopts the Bush plan.

"President Bush's framework will be brought to the government I intend to form after the elections for approval, and I will work with all my strength to make it as broad a unity government as possible," Sharon said.

He presented his plan, based on the Bush framework, saying that after the cessation of terror and the emergence of a new Palestinian leadership, Israel will work "to relieve the military pressure and create a territorial contiguity between the Palestinian population centers in Judea and Samaria."

According to Sharon, in the second stage of the Bush plan, "Israel will allow the establishment of a Palestinian state with temporary borders." The prime minister said those temporary borders would include Areas A and B, representing 42 percent of the West Bank, "except for areas vital for security." The Palestinian state will be demilitarized, except for a police force, Israel will control its borders and airspace, and it will be prohibited from forging treaties with enemies of Israel.

He said that in the first stage, the PA must go through comprehensive security and governmental reforms that would lead to a new government that is "honest and wants peace," while the current PA chairman Yasser Arafat would be moved out of a position of power and into a symbolic role. Sharon accused Arafat of "careful planning" of the terror attacks on Israel, to make Israel surrender and agree to political concessions under coercion. But, said Sharon, Arafat failed and his failure gave birth to vehement criticism of him among the Palestinians and the terrorist and violent direction their campaign against Israel took.

Sharon praised the close relations between his government and the U.S. and said the understandings with the administration "allow us the freedom of action needed for the war on terror." He said he believes that in the coming months, Israel will receive special economic aid from the U.S.

He said political concessions are "not retractable." Israel will not return to control those areas it withdrew from as part of political agreements. "The current reality, in which the IDF acts freely in the Palestinian cities is a result of the security situation and is not a change in the political situation from two years ago."
He said the third and last stage of the Bush plan would mean negotiations for the final status of the Palestinian state and its permanent borders. He emphasized, "We will not move from stage to stage until there is a proved state of quiet relations, a change in the Palestinian manner of government, and growing and strengthening coexistence."

He finished his speech by emphasizing his "dozens of years of public service." He said, "These decisions are not easy for me and I will not deny that I harbor doubts and fears. But I have reached the conclusion that given the current reality, regionally and internationally, the State of Israel must act courageously to accept the political framework I described. There are risks, but the opportunities are enormous."

Mitzna blasts IDF chief

Meanwhile, Labor Party Chairman Amram Mitzna slammed IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon yesterday, saying that Ya'alon's earlier remarks at the Herzliya conference, were "political in nature."

Ya'alon said unilateral withdrawal from isolated settlements in the Gaza Strip - a line advocated by Mitzna - would serve to motivate Palestinian terrorists to continue their attacks.

Mitzna said the line "between political and professional statements ... is sometimes crossed ... Show me a professional in uniform or one released from the army who can convince me that there is a military solution to the Palestinian conflict," he added. "Since there isn't one, negotiations must begin."

Mitzna argued that evacuating settlements would actually strengthen Israel's deterrent capacity. He also used the opportunity to lambaste the government's policy of refusing to talk with the Palestinian Authority until there was a complete cessation of terror attacks.

"We absolutely cannot make a resumption of negotiations conditional on a complete cease-fire," he said. "This policy allows other parties, whose only goal is to prevent progress in the peace talks, to dictate our agenda."

He called on the PA "to do everything in its power" to deal with terrorism, and emphasized that "only one side is responsible for our security - the government of Israel." He said he was not interested in meeting PA chairman Yasser Arafat, adding that the experiences of recent years had taught him that the PA was not to be believed.

Mitzna added that the issue of relations between Israel's Jewish and Arab citizens is one of utmost urgency on the national agenda. "I have faith in the loyalty of Israel's Arabs to the State of Israel," he said, "but they must be made to feel that they belong - that they are partners."

Downing Street invites Mitzna

British Prime Minister Tony Blair has broken with diplomatic tradition by extending an invitation to Mitzna to visit London before the January 28 election.
A spokesman for Mitzna, On Levey, said that although no date had been fixed for the meeting, which will be their first, it would probably be later this month.

It is unusual for a foreign leader to lay himself open to possible accusations of trying to influence an election campaign, said The Guardian newspaper, and Blair is in danger of incurring Sharon's wrath.

But it would not be the first time Blair has met with a Labor leader ahead of a general elections in Israel. In 1999, the British premier met with Ehud Barak, who was head of the opposition Labor party at the time.

Mitzna is expected to make a major speech during his London visit, his spokesman said, adding, "It will be a friendly visit for the two men to get to know each other and exchange ideas." Mitzna's aides confirmed they have not approached the White House about a visit to Washington, nor has there been any invitation.

Netanyahu sees `opportunity' for Israel in Iraq war

Foreign Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used the Herzliya conference, held at Herzliya Interdisciplinary Center, to declare that a U.S. military operation in Iraq could provide "an opportunity" for Israel, which might be able to work toward its goals of replacing the Palestinian Authority's leadership, and, subsequently, democratizing Palestinian society.

Netanyahu warned that terrorist strikes at passenger planes, both in Israel and the world, would have disastrous consequences for the world economy.

The failed attempt to hit an Israeli passenger plane in Mombasa, was "a miracle from the skies above," said Netanyahu, and terror organizations - including Palestinian groups - were now "racing to bring us this horrible gift." Strikes against passenger planes would be the "second convulsive fracture," following the September 11 2001 attacks, he declared. He said Israel's Foreign Ministry is involved in an international initiative under which new defense systems for civilian planes would be developed.