No Likud minister or Knesset Member has yet expressed support for Prime Minister Sharon's speech of last night. NRP chief Minister Effie Eitam, however, had some strong words against it, saying that the establishment of a Palestinian state is an "existential danger for Israel." Eitam said that merely the declaration of willingness to establish such an entity is an "admission of our defeat and a victory for the terrorists."
National Union party leader Avigdor Lieberman, too, said that a Palestinian state would be a terrorist state. Lieberman's party colleague MK Yuri Stern told a group of supporters in Modiin, "The conditions set by Sharon - that the state be demilitarized and its borders be controlled by Israel - exist already now, yet we still suffer from murderous terrorism."
MK Michael Kleiner (Herut) warned the right-wing not to be apathetic to Sharon's declarations: "Some think that he doesn't really mean it, but I would like to note that they said the same thing about Netanyahu in 1996 when he promised to honor the Oslo Agreements - and then we received Oslo with the addition of Hevron and Wye. When politicians promise catastrophes, they always come through."
Former US Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk and former American Middle East mediator Dennis Ross also have problems with Bush's road map plan. Indyk, who also spoke at the Herzliya Conference, said the plan's demands on both sides are unrealistic and could not be implemented. Ross said that the plan "doesn't provide criteria for performance," is too general, and will lead to exhaustive negotiations on each step of the way.
National Union party leader Avigdor Lieberman, too, said that a Palestinian state would be a terrorist state. Lieberman's party colleague MK Yuri Stern told a group of supporters in Modiin, "The conditions set by Sharon - that the state be demilitarized and its borders be controlled by Israel - exist already now, yet we still suffer from murderous terrorism."
MK Michael Kleiner (Herut) warned the right-wing not to be apathetic to Sharon's declarations: "Some think that he doesn't really mean it, but I would like to note that they said the same thing about Netanyahu in 1996 when he promised to honor the Oslo Agreements - and then we received Oslo with the addition of Hevron and Wye. When politicians promise catastrophes, they always come through."
Former US Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk and former American Middle East mediator Dennis Ross also have problems with Bush's road map plan. Indyk, who also spoke at the Herzliya Conference, said the plan's demands on both sides are unrealistic and could not be implemented. Ross said that the plan "doesn't provide criteria for performance," is too general, and will lead to exhaustive negotiations on each step of the way.