The Council of Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza held an emergency meeting yesterday. It will embark on a new publicity campaign under the theme, "The IDF Warns: Uprooting Communities is a Prize for Terrorism." Protests will be held in central intersections throughout the country, and outside Sharon's Shikmim Farm residence in the Negev.
MK Yuval Shteinitz, Chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, said he is in favor of a unilateral withdrawal from Gaza - but only if the proper measures are taken to ensure that the terrorists cannot use it as a springboard to secure a similar withdrawal from Judea and Samaria.
Tourism Minister Benny Elon (National Union) said, "I hope that the Prime Minister understood [from yesterday's no-confidence vote] that the national camp will not allow the abandonment of parts of our national homeland, by relying on the left and the Arabs. It is disgraceful on his part to release a plan to uproot Jewish towns while the murderous terrorism continues to strike opposite his very residence."
Trade Minister Ehud Olmert (Likud), who was the first in the Likud to talk publicly of a unilateral withdrawal, said last night that it is critical for Israel to "separate from the Palestinians." In his estimation, a similar withdrawal would take place in some areas of Judea and Samaria. Sharon, too, implied as much when speaking with Likud MKs yesterday. He also added that he was not including the three northern Gaza communities - Elei Sinai, Nisanit and Dugit - in his withdrawal plans.
Olmert predicted that the process of uprooting the Gaza towns would begin in June or July. Sharon himself, however, acknowledged that his plan would not be easy to implement: "We are talking of a population of 7,500 people. It's not a simple matter. We are talking of thousands of square kilometers of hothouses, factories and packing plants. People there who are third-generation. The first thing is to ask their agreement, to reach an agreement with the residents. To move thousands of dunams of hothouses, educational institutions, thousands and thousands of vehicles - it's not a quick matter, especially if it's done under fire."
In addition, noted the website of the Gush Katif communities, Katif.net, "Sharon himself said that this was just a plan, and that he would first consult with the Americans, and with his coalition partners, and with the residents - but Olmert apparently has a 'spirit of prophecy' and knows that it will take place in four months."
MK Ayoub Kara of the Likud objects very strongly to a unilateral withdrawal from Gaza as proposed by Sharon, and says that it is not yet a done deal. He told Arutz-7 this morning that when the Likud Central Committee next convenes, "we are hoping to have some important changes made," including, he said, the famous Clause 19-c amendment. This would stipulate that any Likud MK who votes against the party platform or against a Central Committee decision would not be able to run for national office in the Likud Party for the ensuing five years. This would preclude party members' support for a Palestinian state or for the withdrawal from Gaza. Kara went even further, however, saying that if necessary, "we will take active steps within the Likud Knesset faction," referring to a vote of no-confidence in the national government, headed by the Likud. Likud MK Ehud Yatom said clearly yesterday that if he had to choose between a unilateral withdrawal from Gaza and new elections, he would choose the latter.
MK Yuval Shteinitz, Chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, said he is in favor of a unilateral withdrawal from Gaza - but only if the proper measures are taken to ensure that the terrorists cannot use it as a springboard to secure a similar withdrawal from Judea and Samaria.
Tourism Minister Benny Elon (National Union) said, "I hope that the Prime Minister understood [from yesterday's no-confidence vote] that the national camp will not allow the abandonment of parts of our national homeland, by relying on the left and the Arabs. It is disgraceful on his part to release a plan to uproot Jewish towns while the murderous terrorism continues to strike opposite his very residence."
Trade Minister Ehud Olmert (Likud), who was the first in the Likud to talk publicly of a unilateral withdrawal, said last night that it is critical for Israel to "separate from the Palestinians." In his estimation, a similar withdrawal would take place in some areas of Judea and Samaria. Sharon, too, implied as much when speaking with Likud MKs yesterday. He also added that he was not including the three northern Gaza communities - Elei Sinai, Nisanit and Dugit - in his withdrawal plans.
Olmert predicted that the process of uprooting the Gaza towns would begin in June or July. Sharon himself, however, acknowledged that his plan would not be easy to implement: "We are talking of a population of 7,500 people. It's not a simple matter. We are talking of thousands of square kilometers of hothouses, factories and packing plants. People there who are third-generation. The first thing is to ask their agreement, to reach an agreement with the residents. To move thousands of dunams of hothouses, educational institutions, thousands and thousands of vehicles - it's not a quick matter, especially if it's done under fire."
In addition, noted the website of the Gush Katif communities, Katif.net, "Sharon himself said that this was just a plan, and that he would first consult with the Americans, and with his coalition partners, and with the residents - but Olmert apparently has a 'spirit of prophecy' and knows that it will take place in four months."
MK Ayoub Kara of the Likud objects very strongly to a unilateral withdrawal from Gaza as proposed by Sharon, and says that it is not yet a done deal. He told Arutz-7 this morning that when the Likud Central Committee next convenes, "we are hoping to have some important changes made," including, he said, the famous Clause 19-c amendment. This would stipulate that any Likud MK who votes against the party platform or against a Central Committee decision would not be able to run for national office in the Likud Party for the ensuing five years. This would preclude party members' support for a Palestinian state or for the withdrawal from Gaza. Kara went even further, however, saying that if necessary, "we will take active steps within the Likud Knesset faction," referring to a vote of no-confidence in the national government, headed by the Likud. Likud MK Ehud Yatom said clearly yesterday that if he had to choose between a unilateral withdrawal from Gaza and new elections, he would choose the latter.