"The significance of the disengagement plan is the freezing of the peace process,"

[Czar]

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/485680.html

"The significance of the disengagement plan is the freezing of the peace process," Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's senior adviser Dov Weisglass told Haaretz, in an interview for the Friday Magazine.

Weisglass, who was one of the initiators of the disengagement plan, added, "And when you freeze that process, you prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state, and you prevent a discussion on the refugees, the borders and Jerusalem. Effectively, this whole package called the Palestinian state, with all that it entails, has been removed indefinitely from our agenda. And all this with authority and permission. All with a presidential blessing and the ratification of both houses of Congress."

"The disengagement is actually formaldehyde," he said. "It supplies the amount of formaldehyde that is necessary so there will not be a political process with the Palestinians."

Asked why the disengagement plan had been hatched, Weisglass replied: "Because in the fall of 2003 we understood that everything was stuck. And although by the way the Americans read the situation, the blame fell on the Palestinians, not on us, Arik [Sharon] grasped that this state of affairs could not last, that they wouldn't leave us alone, wouldn't get off our case. Time was not on our side. There was international erosion, internal erosion. Domestically, in the meantime, everything was collapsing. The economy was stagnant, and the Geneva Initiative had gained broad support. And then we were hit with the letters of officers and letters of pilots and letters of commandos [refusing to serve in the territories]. These were not weird kids with green ponytails and a ring in their nose with a strong odor of grass. These were people like Spector's group [Yiftah Spector, a renowned Air Force pilot who signed the pilot's letter]. Really our finest young people."

Weisglass does not deny that the main achievement of the Gaza plan is the freezing of the peace process in a "legitimate manner."

"That is exactly what happened," he said. "You know, the term `peace process' is a bundle of concepts and commitments. The peace process is the establishment of a Palestinian state with all the security risks that entails. The peace process is the evacuation of settlements, it's the return of refugees, it's the partition of Jerusalem. And all that has now been frozen.... what I effectively agreed to with the Americans was that part of the settlements would not be dealt with at all, and the rest will not be dealt with until the Palestinians turn into Finns. That is the significance of what we did."

Sharon, he said, could also argue "honestly" that the disengagement plan was "a serious move because of which, out of 240,000 settlers, 190,000 will not be moved from their place."

The full interview will appear on Friday.

Left-wing MKs slam Sharon over Weisglass comments
Left-wing Knesset members attacked Sharon in light of Weisglass' comments, some calling for his removal from office.

Hadash MK Ahmed Tibi sent a letter to U.S. Ambassador Dan Kurtzer in which he asked "if the American administration is a partner to Sharon's political deceit, which Weisglass revealed with incriminating candor."

Tibi said that Weisglass' comments "bolster what we have said all along, that the [disengagement] plan is a 'Sharon bluff.'"

Labor Party chairman Shimon Peres said Sharon had never told him that the disengagement plan was meant to freeze the peace process.

"He who seeks half peace will bring half war," Peres said Wednesday.

Yahad MK Yossi Beilin said Weisglass' "frightening comments" were said in a rare moment of truth and reveal Sharon's dangerous intentions.

The remarks "reveal the fact that it is Sharon who is not a peace partner, and the peace camp must work for him to be overthrown," said Beilin.

Hadash MK Mohammed Barakeh called the statements grave, saying they prove that the Sharon government must be toppled as soon as possible.

These comments, Barakeh said, affirm the importance of refusing to serve in the IDF and the relevance of the Geneva Initiative.

true motives

 

[Czar]

bump

 

[polm]

It is a shame that the Palestinian Authority passed up their major opportunity to negotiate some Bi-Latteral steps toward peace.

Being that Arafat is unable to make any sort of compromise. Being that Hamas is unable to make any sort of compromise.

Sharon is finally coming to the conclusion that a Uni-Latteral approach to the situation is required.

True...he has a strong body in the country of Isarel who is NOT interested in any disengagement. He also has a strong body who is for complete retreat to the '67 borders.

 

[Czar]

Originally posted by: polm
It is a shame that the Palestinian Authority passed up their major opportunity to negotiate some Bi-Latteral steps toward peace.

Being that Arafat is unable to make any sort of compromise. Being that Hamas is unable to make any sort of compromise.

Sharon is finally coming to the conclusion that a Uni-Latteral approach to the situation is required.

True...he has a strong body in the country of Isarel who is NOT interested in any disengagement. He also has a strong body who is for complete retreat to the '67 borders.

both sides have major internal issues that are preventing any reasonable discussion towards peace

 

[polm]

Originally posted by: Czar

Originally posted by: polm
It is a shame that the Palestinian Authority passed up their major opportunity to negotiate some Bi-Latteral steps toward peace.

Being that Arafat is unable to make any sort of compromise. Being that Hamas is unable to make any sort of compromise.

Sharon is finally coming to the conclusion that a Uni-Latteral approach to the situation is required.

True...he has a strong body in the country of Isarel who is NOT interested in any disengagement. He also has a strong body who is for complete retreat to the '67 borders.

both sides have major internal issues that are preventing any reasonable discussion towards peace

I think one of the major problems is political representation.

Does the P.A. truly represent the wants of the Palestinian people ?

Does the Israeli Parliment truly represent the wants of the Israeli people ?

 

[Czar]

Originally posted by: polm

Originally posted by: Czar

Originally posted by: polm
It is a shame that the Palestinian Authority passed up their major opportunity to negotiate some Bi-Latteral steps toward peace.

Being that Arafat is unable to make any sort of compromise. Being that Hamas is unable to make any sort of compromise.

Sharon is finally coming to the conclusion that a Uni-Latteral approach to the situation is required.

True...he has a strong body in the country of Isarel who is NOT interested in any disengagement. He also has a strong body who is for complete retreat to the '67 borders.

both sides have major internal issues that are preventing any reasonable discussion towards peace

I think one of the major problems is political representation.

Does the P.A. truly represent the wants of the Palestinian people ?

Does the Israeli Parliment truly represent the wants of the Israeli people ?

I would have to say no to both, not because the leaders themselves dont have alot of support but that support is based mostly on wanting to counter the other side. Has little to do with the actual policies.

 

[cwjerome]

I say good for Weisglass and good for Sharon. The so-called "peace process" is a sham and always has been. When the Palestinian terrorists (not the regular poor saps who have no say and forced into things) decide it's in their advantage to activate the peace process they do, and it's insincere and totally strategic. These barbarians know other nations, full of bureaucratic muddling, equivocation, and conciliation, will tolerate these proxies and dwell on an imaginary "peace process". Terrorism can only work against a victim who refuses to fight back. In other words, if terrorism had no effect- if the terrorists gained nothing for committing it, why would they continue? But it does work, and so they do continue.

Thus, the situation in Israel stands as a smaller version of what could happen globally in the current 'war on terrorism'. Much can be learned from Arafat's strategy: unleash and support a terrorist war; use the "peace process" to keep others from fighting back; terrorize victims into a "political solution" that gives the terrorists more concessions- which will be used to further their war. It has been stated over and over that any "pause" in the fighting is just that: temporary. Let us take them at their word and realize that whether peace lasts 1 year or 5 years, it will never fully end because their religious doctrine says it can't.

 

[Jhhnn]

Wake up, guys. The Israeli radicals are masters of appearances. Even when they do appear to negotiate, they make sure there's a dealbreaker. Ever notice how they make promises to pullout right before they attack?

They have absolutely no intention of ever offering a deal that the Pals could actually accept- it would mean giving up their dream, their obsession, the biblical prophesy that they rule all of palestine, ultimately ejecting/enslaving the native population.

The roadmap to peace was just bait and switch from the Bush Admin, a green light for the Israelis to exterminate palestinian leaders and infrastructure, all neatly arranged, apparently along with the invasion of Iraq, when Cheney visited Israel in the wake of 9/11.

And now, the Israelis claim there's nobody to negotiate with, forgetting to mention that they've systematically murdered or forced out anybody other than Arafat, whom they vilify... and refuse to negotiate with. Meanwhile, the expropriation of territory and resources continues...

Neat and nifty, as the American public laps it up. Ever wonder what kind of headset is required to put a hellfire missile into the lap of a blind and crippled 85 year old cleric who weighs 85 pounds, lives in a wheelchair? On the sidewalk outside a mosque? At least suicide bombers kill themselves too, rather than flying home to dinner...

Can't figure out why the Pals are desperate, willing to give up their own lives for their cause?

 

[rickn]

Originally posted by: Jhhnn
Wake up, guys. The Israeli radicals are masters of appearances. Even when they do appear to negotiate, they make sure there's a dealbreaker. Ever notice how they make promises to pullout right before they attack?

They have absolutely no intention of ever offering a deal that the Pals could actually accept- it would mean giving up their dream, their obsession, the biblical prophesy that they rule all of palestine, ultimately ejecting/enslaving the native population.

The roadmap to peace was just bait and switch from the Bush Admin, a green light for the Israelis to exterminate palestinian leaders and infrastructure, all neatly arranged, apparently along with the invasion of Iraq, when Cheney visited Israel in the wake of 9/11.

And now, the Israelis claim there's nobody to negotiate with, forgetting to mention that they've systematically murdered or forced out anybody other than Arafat, whom they vilify... and refuse to negotiate with. Meanwhile, the expropriation of territory and resources continues...

Neat and nifty, as the American public laps it up. Ever wonder what kind of headset is required to put a hellfire missile into the lap of a blind and crippled 85 year old cleric who weighs 85 pounds, lives in a wheelchair? On the sidewalk outside a mosque? At least suicide bombers kill themselves too, rather than flying home to dinner...

Can't figure out why the Pals are desperate, willing to give up their own lives for their cause?

americans better wake up and smell the coffee, cuz we're next

 

[cwjerome]

Yeah, I would have fired that Hellfire myself... F@ck the evil bastard. They should launch one on Arafat also.

The palestinians have been crapped on by their supposed leaders and the rest of the Muslim/Arab world, mainly so those people have an excuse to grab power, incite more hatred, and continue their jihad against Israel.

 

[conjur]

IMO, nothing will benefit the movement toward peace than the removal of Arafat from power. More and more Palestinians are tiring of this long, drawn-out fighting and are beginning to hate Arafat. They just want to be able to live normal lives, have a job, send their kids to school, etc. all without the threat of being killed.