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At the weekly Cabinet meeting, Sunday 18.4.2004: |
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At the weekly Cabinet meeting, Sunday 18.4.2004: |
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| 18/04/2004 |
1. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, in his name and on behalf of the government,
praised the security forces for the successful operation last night in which
Hamas leader Abdul Aziz Rantisi was eliminated. The Prime Minister said
that his policy is built on an effort to open a diplomatic process that
could greatly benefit Israel and an effort to fight the terror
organizations, terrorists and anyone whose aim is to attack Israeli
civilians. The Prime Minister noted that yesterday's operation took place
in this framework.
Prime Minister Sharon emphasized that the aforementioned policy - to advance
a diplomatic process and to attack terrorist organizations and their
leaders - will continue.
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said that Rantisi was one of those responsible
for formulating Hamas terror policy, was a source of inspiration for suicide
terrorists, and was a militant leader who called for Israel's destruction.
Neither did Rantisi hesitate to call for terror attacks against Americans in
Iraq.
Defense Minister Mofaz commented that he believes that with the attack on
Yassin, and now on Rantisi, Hamas has been severely weakened. It is
important that every terrorist leader knows that they are not immune and
that Israel will continue to strike at them and at terrorists at the same
time as it advances the diplomatic/security process of disengagement.
2. Prime Minister Sharon briefed the cabinet on his recent visit to
Washington, where he met with US President George Bush. Prime Minister
Sharon thanked the negotiating team led by the Director of his Bureau, Dov
Weisglass, on its outstanding hard work. The Prime Minister noted that an
injustice has recently been done to Mr. Weisglass and that we must thank him
for his dedication and achievements. Shalom Turgeman, the Prime Minister's
Diplomatic Adviser, National Security Council Chairman Maj. Gen (Res.) Giora
Eiland and Israeli Ambassador to the US Danny Ayalon were also thanked for
their work, as were the other members of the negotiating team.
The Prime Minister noted that this was one of the most important visits for
the security and future of the State of Israel. His meeting with US
President Bush ended months of long negotiations with the US administration.
Prime Minister Sharon received a letter from President Bush which indirectly expressed his support for the
disengagement plan, and included clear American statements, which did not
leave room for misunderstandings or doubt as to the position of the US.
Prime Minister Sharon pointed out that there were two aspects to US support:
Support for the interim period including political and security aid while the plan is being implemented, and a clear US position on issues directly dealing with the permanent settlement between Israel and the Palestinians.
The Prime Minister asserted Israel has not - since its establishment -
received such unprecedented political support, as expressed in President
Bush's letter, which includes:
· Remaining committed to the Roadmap: The US has expressed its dedication to
the government's fundamental principal that there will not be negotiations
under fire. The US pledged not to adopt any other political plan, and not
to carry out any diplomatic negotiations with the Palestinians while they have not carried out their obligations as laid out in the Roadmap, which is to cease terror, to dismantle terrorist organizations and to carry out
comprehensive reforms in the Palestinian Authority.
· Decisive US recognition of Israel's right to secure and defendable
borders. In addition, the US recognizes Israel's right to defend itself, in every place, and to retain its deterrent power against its enemies.
· US recognition of Israel's right to defend itself against terror attacks
and against terrorist organizations in every place, including areas Israel
has withdrawn from. This is the other dimension of the disengagement plan.
This clause is meant to give Israel the political/military security, after
it has implemented the plan, for an unlimited period of time, until the
conditions have been met to continue implementing the Roadmap.
· The US stated its position on essential matters to Israel, in matters
relating to the final status agreement: Refugees and borders will be fixed
according to defense and settlement considerations. Negotiations for the
final settlement will be between Israel and the Palestinians, but the
critical point is that if during the negotiations there is a disagreement on
these issues and Israel insists on retaining its position, the US will
support Israel, and this will give Israel a stronger position. This is an
unprecedented achievement.
· The US expressed its unequivocal view that Palestinian refugees will not
be allowed to return to Israel.
· US recognition that there will be no return to the 1967 borders, due to
two principal considerations: Settlement blocs and implementing the idea of "defendable borders."
· According to the US position, the large settlement blocs will remain under
Israeli control in any situation. Every other area in Judea and Samaria
will be open for negotiation.
· Determining clear conditions for the establishment of a future Palestinian
state.
The Prime Minister emphasized that in the stages of preparing the plan, the
US were our partners and supporters. US President Bush expressed sweeping
support of the plan, and sees it as an historical process with huge
potential to bring Israel and region forward. With this President Bush is
determined, that if Israel implements its part of the plan, to give all
components of defense and political security.
Prime Minister Sharon responded to comments that the disengagement plan is a prize for terror and for the Palestinian Authority, and argued that the best way to refute this is to examine the Palestinian position. The
Palestinians, as well as all Arab states responded with anger and disgust to US President Bush's letter and see it as a harsh strategic blow.
The Palestinians understood that the first stage in the process has been
taken whereby Israel and the US have begun to fashion the face of the region
without the Palestinians, as long as the Palestinians continue to refrain
from carrying out their obligations. There is nothing more the Palestinians
fear more, and this is the first time the Palestinians feel they have lost
assets, because they are not acting. It is enough to hear the statement of
the Palestinian Prime Minister who said that the United States favors Israel
and has taken away the few cards the Palestinians have for the final status
negotiations.
Prime Minister Sharon said that the government would not discuss the
disengagement plan until after the Likud referendum on the matter, when an
unlimited discussion will be held in which every minister will be able to
express his or her opinion on the plan.
The Prime Minister emphasized that every member of the cabinet will have to
show the necessary responsibility and to decide whether or not to vote for
the plan, which will allow the political and security backing from the US, or to vote against the plan and to throw back the unequivocal, comprehensive and historical security support to the US. The Prime Minister said, We will need to decide if we want to reject the plan and go to the final statusm talks on these critical issues which are so essential to the existence of the State of Israel: No right of return for Palestinian refugees and borders to be fixed according to settlement and defense considerations, without American backing.
In relation to the fence, the Prime Minister clarified that it will be built
according to the full route decided by the government and that the
government will act to ensure it is completed before any communities are
evacuated.
3. Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz stated that the understandings reached
between the Prime Minister and US President Bush struck the Palestinians a
harsh blow and said that the Palestinian Authority views these
understandings as distancing them further from achieving their strategic
goal. The message is that this is the price for 3.5 years of terror lead by
Yasser Arafat after he rejected a very generous Israeli diplomatic offer.
The Defense Minister stated his belief that the disengagement plan will be
good for the Israeli people economically, diplomatically and vis-a-vis security.
In addition, the Defense Minister commented that we are witnesses to the
continued efforts of the terror organizations, with the encouragement of
foreign sources, to perpetrate terror attacks in Israel. Israel has, in
recent weeks, invested a huge effort to foil terror attacks through
intelligence and special - including military - operations; these operations
thwarted and prevented a large number of terror attacks and allowed the
people of Israel to enjoy the Passover festivities.
The security establishment plans to continue with its special preparedness
at least until after Independence Day.
4. The Cabinet decided to extend until 15.6.04, the time given to the
ministerial committee on the matter of the report of the committee
investigating the clashes between Israeli security forces and Israeli
civilians in October 2000 (the Or Commission) in order for it to submit its recommendations.
5. The Cabinet decided to extend by 30 days the date by which the team
formulating recommendations on boosting the Israeli information effort must
submit its proposals.
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