Knesset Speaker Ruby Rivlin, a close friend of Ariel Sharon, told Ari Shavit of Haaretz that the Prime Minister is absolutely poised to remove and destroy some 17 Yesha communities, and that the only thing that would stop him is Palestinian terrorism.
"If there is terror," Rivlin said, "he will not hand over territory. But if we actually reach a situation in which a solution is found for terrorism, and there are signs that the Palestinians are trying to meet us halfway, he will establish a Palestinian state in the territories held by the Palestinians with territorial contiguity… for us to live within borders that make movement possible for them other than through our territory, it will be necessary to reach a decision to evacuate a number of settlements."
Rivlin said that 17 communities are slated for destruction by Sharon, and that they include Ganim, Kadim, Chomesh, Tekoa and Nokdim. Rivlin made it clear that Sharon is 100% determined to go this path, and that it is not simply a ploy on his part. The full text of the interview has been posted at "www.imra.org.il"
"If there is terror," Rivlin said, "he will not hand over territory. But if we actually reach a situation in which a solution is found for terrorism, and there are signs that the Palestinians are trying to meet us halfway, he will establish a Palestinian state in the territories held by the Palestinians with territorial contiguity… for us to live within borders that make movement possible for them other than through our territory, it will be necessary to reach a decision to evacuate a number of settlements."
Rivlin said that 17 communities are slated for destruction by Sharon, and that they include Ganim, Kadim, Chomesh, Tekoa and Nokdim. Rivlin made it clear that Sharon is 100% determined to go this path, and that it is not simply a ploy on his part. The full text of the interview has been posted at "www.imra.org.il"