U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell is causing a diplomatic scandal by his plans to meet with someone whose actions the Israeli government strongly condemns: Yossi Beilin.
Beilin's Geneva document has drawn widespread criticism in official Israel because of its attempt to undermine the Road Map, Israeli government policy, and the Israeli government itself. President Moshe Katzav has said that the Geneva understanding "sabotages the Road Map plan and interferes with the government's efforts towards future negotiations with the PA," and Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz has labeled it a "dangerous effort that is harmful to the security of the state." Tourism Minister Benny Elon said that Beilin was "cooperating with the enemy" in his attempts to advance this agreement, and even Prof. Shimon Sheetrit, a former Labor Party government minister, was critical of contacts between unauthorized persons and PA officials.
Trade Minister Ehud Olmert said that for Powell to meet with chief Geneva authors Beilin and Yasser Abed Rabbo, in the face of Israeli opposition, would be a "grave error." In response, Secretary Powell said yesterday, "I have the right to meet with whomever I want." Despite the Israeli opposition, Powell said he saw "no reason" why he should not meet with those who are "committed to peace and have ideas."
The Geneva agreement stipulates that 100,000 Jews will be evicted from their homes in Yesha; that the Temple Mount and most of eastern Jerusalem will be given over to foreign control; and that Israel complete its withdrawal from all of Yesha (Judea, Samaria and Gaza), except for minor changes, within 30 months. In exchange, the Arabs are to agree to an undefined restriction on the Right of Return, yet did not commit to stopping terrorism.
Powell said that the Road Map is still the only way to peace in the Middle East, and said that his meeting with Beilin and Abed Rabbo does not detract from his support for Israel. The meeting is tentatively planned for the end of this week.
Powell's intentions appear to bear out the concerns of those who say that the Geneva agreement undermines Israel's government and invites international pressure. Just yesterday, Rabbi David Druckman of the Pikuach Nefesh Rabbis Organization, which issued a statement calling the Israeli backers of the initiative "traitors," explained some of his objections to Arutz-7: "[The agreement] calls upon the entire world to pressure Israel's government to smoke out the Jews living in certain areas! ... [The authors] are thus slandering Israel in front of the entire world, and inviting international pressure. We're already a 'sheep surrounded by 70 wolves,' but now they're starving the wolves and sicking them upon us!"
Beilin's Geneva document has drawn widespread criticism in official Israel because of its attempt to undermine the Road Map, Israeli government policy, and the Israeli government itself. President Moshe Katzav has said that the Geneva understanding "sabotages the Road Map plan and interferes with the government's efforts towards future negotiations with the PA," and Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz has labeled it a "dangerous effort that is harmful to the security of the state." Tourism Minister Benny Elon said that Beilin was "cooperating with the enemy" in his attempts to advance this agreement, and even Prof. Shimon Sheetrit, a former Labor Party government minister, was critical of contacts between unauthorized persons and PA officials.
Trade Minister Ehud Olmert said that for Powell to meet with chief Geneva authors Beilin and Yasser Abed Rabbo, in the face of Israeli opposition, would be a "grave error." In response, Secretary Powell said yesterday, "I have the right to meet with whomever I want." Despite the Israeli opposition, Powell said he saw "no reason" why he should not meet with those who are "committed to peace and have ideas."
The Geneva agreement stipulates that 100,000 Jews will be evicted from their homes in Yesha; that the Temple Mount and most of eastern Jerusalem will be given over to foreign control; and that Israel complete its withdrawal from all of Yesha (Judea, Samaria and Gaza), except for minor changes, within 30 months. In exchange, the Arabs are to agree to an undefined restriction on the Right of Return, yet did not commit to stopping terrorism.
Powell said that the Road Map is still the only way to peace in the Middle East, and said that his meeting with Beilin and Abed Rabbo does not detract from his support for Israel. The meeting is tentatively planned for the end of this week.
Powell's intentions appear to bear out the concerns of those who say that the Geneva agreement undermines Israel's government and invites international pressure. Just yesterday, Rabbi David Druckman of the Pikuach Nefesh Rabbis Organization, which issued a statement calling the Israeli backers of the initiative "traitors," explained some of his objections to Arutz-7: "[The agreement] calls upon the entire world to pressure Israel's government to smoke out the Jews living in certain areas! ... [The authors] are thus slandering Israel in front of the entire world, and inviting international pressure. We're already a 'sheep surrounded by 70 wolves,' but now they're starving the wolves and sicking them upon us!"