In a Jerusalem Conference session last night that asked whether PM Sharon's disengagement plan is a legitimate diplomatic process, Labor MK Yuli Tamir surprised some listeners by expressing her opposition to the plan. She said that though she is pleased that the "Green Line" has once again become the international standard by which to judge whether Israel is withdrawing "sufficiently," she is against the unilateral nature of Sharon's planned pullout. "We cannot allow ourselves to be dragged along by the Americans," she said, "but must rather determine what is good for us - and this plan does not serve our interests. We must sit and talk with the Palestinians."
Likud MK Gila Gamliel bemoaned the fact that Israel of late spends too much time going back to "old questions should have been settled long ago, such as the illegitimacy of a Palestinian state, instead of taking positive steps forward to fortify our security and presence." She said that no majority exists in the Knesset to pass the withdrawal plan.
National Union MK Aryeh Eldad was sharply critical of Prime Minister Sharon:
"In some American and European circles, it is being seriously considered whether Sharon has gone crazy... There is no logic to his disengagement plan - which is an advantage, because when a plan is insane, no one expects it to have any logic... Even if Sharon were to be deposed tomorrow morning, or be forced to resign by having an indictment served against him - the damage that he has already done is irreversible... Even if he changes his mind and builds another 100 Jewish towns in Yesha - I am finished with Sharon."
Eldad said he is not sure that MK Gamliel is correct in her prediction that the Knesset would not vote in favor of the withdrawal plan: "Sharon has met with three relatively minor American emissaries to present the plan - though he has not yet done this with the government or the Knesset. Once he is able to say that he already 'promised' President Bush, some of the MKs who are currently wavering or 'rebelling' will not be able to withstand such a situation, and will not vote against it... Sharon is destroying Zionism."
Atty. Elyakim HaEtzni of Kiryat Arba said, "Violating any order or law to uproot us from our homes is a Torah commandment. Courts in the future will determine that we fulfilled the law. By showing that this law has the 'black flag of illegality waving over it,' we will be the ones fulfilling democracy and the rule of law... Even if the Knesset will decide by majority vote or plebiscite to remove me from my house, this is not only a crime, but firstly a blow to democracy. No democratic tool can remove me from my house."
Hevron spokesman Noam Arnon said that ever since the Oslo process began, "Islamic terrorism has intensified and has become the international agenda-setter - and it's all because of Oslo. The Oslo process gave Islamic terrorism a victory, money and power that it never had before. By running away from Gaza and continuing this process, we will bring a catastrophe of inconceivable proportions - not only for us, but for the entire world."
Arnon also said that the disengagement process is a "crime against the Jewish Nation. Sharon is leading an illegal plan, a national crime."
Likud MK Gila Gamliel bemoaned the fact that Israel of late spends too much time going back to "old questions should have been settled long ago, such as the illegitimacy of a Palestinian state, instead of taking positive steps forward to fortify our security and presence." She said that no majority exists in the Knesset to pass the withdrawal plan.
National Union MK Aryeh Eldad was sharply critical of Prime Minister Sharon:
"In some American and European circles, it is being seriously considered whether Sharon has gone crazy... There is no logic to his disengagement plan - which is an advantage, because when a plan is insane, no one expects it to have any logic... Even if Sharon were to be deposed tomorrow morning, or be forced to resign by having an indictment served against him - the damage that he has already done is irreversible... Even if he changes his mind and builds another 100 Jewish towns in Yesha - I am finished with Sharon."
Eldad said he is not sure that MK Gamliel is correct in her prediction that the Knesset would not vote in favor of the withdrawal plan: "Sharon has met with three relatively minor American emissaries to present the plan - though he has not yet done this with the government or the Knesset. Once he is able to say that he already 'promised' President Bush, some of the MKs who are currently wavering or 'rebelling' will not be able to withstand such a situation, and will not vote against it... Sharon is destroying Zionism."
Atty. Elyakim HaEtzni of Kiryat Arba said, "Violating any order or law to uproot us from our homes is a Torah commandment. Courts in the future will determine that we fulfilled the law. By showing that this law has the 'black flag of illegality waving over it,' we will be the ones fulfilling democracy and the rule of law... Even if the Knesset will decide by majority vote or plebiscite to remove me from my house, this is not only a crime, but firstly a blow to democracy. No democratic tool can remove me from my house."
Hevron spokesman Noam Arnon said that ever since the Oslo process began, "Islamic terrorism has intensified and has become the international agenda-setter - and it's all because of Oslo. The Oslo process gave Islamic terrorism a victory, money and power that it never had before. By running away from Gaza and continuing this process, we will bring a catastrophe of inconceivable proportions - not only for us, but for the entire world."
Arnon also said that the disengagement process is a "crime against the Jewish Nation. Sharon is leading an illegal plan, a national crime."