The long-dreaded - long-awaited, by some - Road Map plan was officially submitted to both Israel and the PA this afternoon. Israel expressed its protest at the fact that representatives of the UN, EU, and Russia made a formal trip to Yasser Arafat to present the plan - despite the fact that Israel has declared him "irrelevant," and the U.S., too, has said that it would not deal with leaders who are corrupted by terrorism.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Daniel Kurtzer presented the plan to Prime Minister Sharon, while Terje Larsen of the UN, Migel Mauritinus of the EU, and a Russian representative submitted it to new PA leader Abu Mazen, and then accompanied him to present it to Arafat. Hamas leader Sheik Ahmed Yassin announced today that his terror organization rejects the plan; Hamas and Islamic Jihad have already announced that they will not forego their terrorism war against Israel.
The Yesha Council says that the Road Map is worse than the Oslo Agreement, as it will crumble Israel's power of deterrence and intensify terrorism in the short range. The Council also warns that the Road Map will lead to political and economic dangers, explaining, "Israel's very readiness to agree to the establishment of a Palestinian state will invite heavy pressures that we will not be able to withstand," leading to "existential dangers for the State of Israel."
Minister without Portfolio Uzi Landau, who served as Public Security Minister in the previous government, said that Israel must reject the "dangerous" plan. He said that if it remains unchanged, he will vote against it in the Cabinet. The Prime Minister's Bureau announced afterwards that the version presented today is not the final one, and that changes will be made.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Daniel Kurtzer presented the plan to Prime Minister Sharon, while Terje Larsen of the UN, Migel Mauritinus of the EU, and a Russian representative submitted it to new PA leader Abu Mazen, and then accompanied him to present it to Arafat. Hamas leader Sheik Ahmed Yassin announced today that his terror organization rejects the plan; Hamas and Islamic Jihad have already announced that they will not forego their terrorism war against Israel.
The Yesha Council says that the Road Map is worse than the Oslo Agreement, as it will crumble Israel's power of deterrence and intensify terrorism in the short range. The Council also warns that the Road Map will lead to political and economic dangers, explaining, "Israel's very readiness to agree to the establishment of a Palestinian state will invite heavy pressures that we will not be able to withstand," leading to "existential dangers for the State of Israel."
Minister without Portfolio Uzi Landau, who served as Public Security Minister in the previous government, said that Israel must reject the "dangerous" plan. He said that if it remains unchanged, he will vote against it in the Cabinet. The Prime Minister's Bureau announced afterwards that the version presented today is not the final one, and that changes will be made.