- Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Tuesday backtracked on
his use of the word "occupation," which he had used four times
at a meeting with Likud MKs on Monday to describe Israel's presence in
the territories.
-
- On Tuesday, Sharon told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and
Defense Committee, "When I used the term 'occupation,' I meant it
is undesirable for us to rule over a Palestinian population."
-
- Sharon noted that Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein
had rebuked him for using this term, pointing out that the legal position
adopted by all Israeli governments since 1967 is that the West Bank and
Gaza are "disputed territories" rather than "occupied territories."
-
- Rubinstein explained, "These are territories that
belonged to no recognized sovereign power before 1967, and therefore the
correct way to describe the situation in the territories in legal terms
is as 'disputed territory,' whose status is to be determined through agreements."
-
- Sharon's statements at Monday's Likud faction meeting
sparked a furor among rightist MKs on the foreign affairs committee. Coalition
chair, Gideon Sa'ar (Likud), told him: "You taught us that all the
rights to this land belong to the Jewish people. How is it possible for
a people to be an occupying power in its own land?" Shaul Yalahom
(National Religious Party) demanded: "What's happened to you, Ariel
Sharon? Statements such as the ones you made [on Monday] are a shock from
which it is impossible to recover."
-
- Sharon responded sharply to this criticism. "I have
no training in how to treat people for shock," he said. "But
as for what happened to me, I can cite statements I made as far back as
1988 in which I detailed the areas that are vital for Israel's security
and those on which the Palestinians should be permitted to establish a
state. Today, things have changed. My opinion now is that we don't need
to assume responsibility for 3.5 million Palestinians."
-
- From leftist MKs, Sharon won a few compliments for his
statement. Amram Mitzna (Labor) said: "I'm delighted that you reached
the conclusion that 3.5 million Palestinians cannot be kept under occupation.
Better late than never."
-
- Others, however, were skeptical. Yossi Sarid (Meretz),
for instance, announced that he did not believe a word Sharon said unless
it was backed up by actions, such as evacuating settlement outposts and
freezing construction in the veteran settlements. Most of the other leftist
MKs reiterated these demands.
-
- Sharon did not comment specifically on the settlements,
but in response to a question by Ran Cohen (Meretz), he declared that he
is determined to implement the U.S-backed road map.
-
- http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/297586.html
|