Prime Minister Ariel Sharon decided that Israel will unilaterally institute a ceasefire - although his dramatic television speech did not include this point. One explanation for the omission was that such an announcement might be seen as an Israeli admission that Israel was responsible for the violence. His announcement did include a call for
* an immediate cessation of violence, to be followed by
* a significant cooling-off period (aides said afterwards that it would be eight weeks),
* the implementation of confidence-building measures (such as a freeze in Yesha construction and the arrest of terrorists by the PA), and
* the resumption of political negotiations.
Sharon was asked afterwards if the government will expropriate land for the purpose of paving by-pass roads, and whether the Jewish residents will be allowed to expand their communities for \"natural growth\" purposes. The Prime Minister\'s response: \"I think I made it quite clear that the government will do what it has to for the preservation of the security of the residents, and I was very clear in saying that lands will not be expropriated for construction; there is enough land, believe me. But for security, if bypass roads are needed, they will be paved.\" Sharon did not directly relate to the \"natural growth\" question.
Shomron Regional Council head Bentzy Lieberman, a member of the Yesha [Judea, Samaria and Gaza] Council, said today that although he can agree with most of what Sharon said, the test will be \"when the Oral Law\" is applied: \"What I am worried about is the Oral Law, because we hear contradictory versions. It could very well be that Sharon instructed Peres to give a verbal promise to the Americans that we would not expand past the existing physical borders. If so, this would be a White Paper [British document forbidding Jewish immigration to what was to become Israel]. It would mean that no houses would be permitted to be built past the most outlying existing home, no matter where the zoning borders are. The test will be in the coming days and weeks: If we see that our plans and requests are being held up in various offices, and delays suddenly start popping up, then we\'ll understand that this is in fact what happened.\"
Journalist Ricki Shushan of the weekly Makor Rishon is certain that this is what happened: \"Sharon is a genius. He threw a smokescreen, and the right wing fell for it. I have it on high authority that there is a secret channel, led by Shimon Peres and Omri Sharon, seeking a formula to link a total construction freeze with a Palestinian cessation of violence.\"
MK Benny Elon (National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu) says that as long as Sharon does not actually stop the construction, \"we must continue to support him. We joined the government in the first place because we realized how important is the need for unity when we are about to face a hard war.\" Speaking with Arutz-7\'s Shai Ben-Tekoa today, Elon said, \"Sharon was very careful. He said that he accepts the Mitchell Report as a basis - and everyone knows that \'basis\' means that it\'s a basis for change. Secondly, he gave a time schedule - first the Palestinian violence stops, and then \'we\'ll see.\' He said that he would expropriate land for by-pass roads, but that for settlement construction there is enough state-owned land - this is true...\" The full interview can be heard this evening [Israel time] on DeProgram Program after the 11 PM news; see below for frequencies.
One former Yesha Council leader said today that Sharon was very smart to \"place the ball in the Palestinians\' court.\" He said, however, that by publicly announcing that there would be no more expropriations can only harm Israel in the long run: \"The Americans will never let us forget it - just like they did when then-Minister David Levy said that we would only build for \'natural growth\' requirements; they constantly harp on that...\"
* an immediate cessation of violence, to be followed by
* a significant cooling-off period (aides said afterwards that it would be eight weeks),
* the implementation of confidence-building measures (such as a freeze in Yesha construction and the arrest of terrorists by the PA), and
* the resumption of political negotiations.
Sharon was asked afterwards if the government will expropriate land for the purpose of paving by-pass roads, and whether the Jewish residents will be allowed to expand their communities for \"natural growth\" purposes. The Prime Minister\'s response: \"I think I made it quite clear that the government will do what it has to for the preservation of the security of the residents, and I was very clear in saying that lands will not be expropriated for construction; there is enough land, believe me. But for security, if bypass roads are needed, they will be paved.\" Sharon did not directly relate to the \"natural growth\" question.
Shomron Regional Council head Bentzy Lieberman, a member of the Yesha [Judea, Samaria and Gaza] Council, said today that although he can agree with most of what Sharon said, the test will be \"when the Oral Law\" is applied: \"What I am worried about is the Oral Law, because we hear contradictory versions. It could very well be that Sharon instructed Peres to give a verbal promise to the Americans that we would not expand past the existing physical borders. If so, this would be a White Paper [British document forbidding Jewish immigration to what was to become Israel]. It would mean that no houses would be permitted to be built past the most outlying existing home, no matter where the zoning borders are. The test will be in the coming days and weeks: If we see that our plans and requests are being held up in various offices, and delays suddenly start popping up, then we\'ll understand that this is in fact what happened.\"
Journalist Ricki Shushan of the weekly Makor Rishon is certain that this is what happened: \"Sharon is a genius. He threw a smokescreen, and the right wing fell for it. I have it on high authority that there is a secret channel, led by Shimon Peres and Omri Sharon, seeking a formula to link a total construction freeze with a Palestinian cessation of violence.\"
MK Benny Elon (National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu) says that as long as Sharon does not actually stop the construction, \"we must continue to support him. We joined the government in the first place because we realized how important is the need for unity when we are about to face a hard war.\" Speaking with Arutz-7\'s Shai Ben-Tekoa today, Elon said, \"Sharon was very careful. He said that he accepts the Mitchell Report as a basis - and everyone knows that \'basis\' means that it\'s a basis for change. Secondly, he gave a time schedule - first the Palestinian violence stops, and then \'we\'ll see.\' He said that he would expropriate land for by-pass roads, but that for settlement construction there is enough state-owned land - this is true...\" The full interview can be heard this evening [Israel time] on DeProgram Program after the 11 PM news; see below for frequencies.
One former Yesha Council leader said today that Sharon was very smart to \"place the ball in the Palestinians\' court.\" He said, however, that by publicly announcing that there would be no more expropriations can only harm Israel in the long run: \"The Americans will never let us forget it - just like they did when then-Minister David Levy said that we would only build for \'natural growth\' requirements; they constantly harp on that...\"