By Jerusalem Newswire Editorial Staff
Jun 09, 2004
Seeking to eliminate the “unilateral” aspect of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s “disengagement” plan, the international community has unsurprisingly moved to transform it into an accelerator for the establishment of “Palestine.”
Touted by Sharon as a means by which Israel could take its future into its own hands, the plan was also supposed to show the “Palestinians” there was a price to pay for failing to honor their peace obligations.
But the international “Middle East Quartet” this week had other ideas, and, following approval of the plan by Israel’s cabinet Sunday, drafted an “action plan” that would see the PA made a full partner to the withdrawal.
The “Gaza Disengagement Action Plan” outlines several steps for the “Palestinians” to take alongside the Israeli retreat, making the plan indistinguishable from other components of the failed “land-for-peace” formula.
Meanwhile, PLO chief Yasser Arafat has reportedly set up a committee that he says will oversee Israel’s flight from Gaza, and then decide on the future of the Strip.
‘Our future, our hands’
“Israel has taken its future into its own hands,” Sharon told a group of visiting Jewish youth Sunday following approval of his retreat plan in a 14-7 cabinet vote.
Sharon first announced his “disengagement” scheme in December, warning the Palestinian Arabs that Israel would increasingly cut them out of the picture if they continued to violate signed peace agreements.
In March, Sharon told Israel it had to implement his plan, or risk having additional foreign peace initiatives with less favorable conditions imposed on it.
He also pointed out that by unilaterally creating facts on the ground in line with Israel’s needs, the “Palestinians” would realize there was a price to pay for their non-compliance.
Not so fast
But following Sunday’s cabinet vote, the international community began in earnest to transform Sharon’s plan into another step in its “land-for-peace” process, culminating in the birth of a Palestinian State.
The Middle East Quartet Monday drafted an “action plan” that would see the “Palestinians” brought in as full partners to the Israeli withdrawal, eliminating the unilateral aspect of Sharon’s plan.
Parallel to the evacuation of Jewish communities, the PA would be expected to implement certain reforms, in return for which it would receive additional foreign aid.
The Quartet planned to seek UN approval for its “Gaza Disengagement Action Plan,” in effect turning the Sharon plan into an accelerator for its own “Road Map to Palestine.”
European, American and Arab officials have also indicated that while they view an Israeli retreat from Gaza as positive, it should be only the first step in a comprehensive surrender of the ancient Jewish heartland to the forces of Islam.
‘Irrelevant’ Arafat
Meanwhile, Ha’aretz reports that PLO chief Yasser Arafat is busy forming a three-man committee – consisting of himself, PA Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia and Gaza “security” boss Mohammed Dahlan – to oversee “Palestinian” involvement in Israel’s retreat.
While the Quartet action plan sought to further sideline Arafat, the new committee would ensure his continued involvement and relevance in the ongoing Arab struggle to separate the Jewish people from their biblical patrimony.