MK Tzvi Hendel (National Union) said that the only thing Bush clarified was that an evacuation from Gaza would be just the first step of an ongoing process that would continue to require more and more concessions. He added that the Bush letter and speech represented a "beautiful cellophane wrapping on an empty package."
MK Yuri Stern (National Union): "Even the declaration regarding the 'right of return' is not so significant, because for one thing, the Americans never sided with a right of return for the Arabs. In addition, to allow the Arabs to 'return' to the PA-controlled areas, as Bush said, would be a demographic catastrophe for Israel."
MK Sha'ul Yahalom (NRP) noted that the Palestinian Authority's reaction to Sharon's "peace plan" was to threaten more terrorism.
Likud MK Ayoub Kara told Arutz-7 last night, "No one can run the State of Israel by remote control from without. We have had 1,000 sacrifices over the past three years, each one further proof that only Israel can run its own affairs. The U.S. promised in Oslo to back Israel against the terrorism when necessary, but this did not happen..." Kara predicted that Netanyahu would not come out against the evacuation, "in order not to be portrayed as undermining the government." He also said that the "fighting volunteer spirit" of the Likud members who oppose the evacuation/expulsion plan would carry the day, and that the plan would be defeated in the upcoming Likud referendum.
Yehoshua Mor-Yosef, the diplomatic secretary of the Yesha Council, said, "Bush said nothing new. He didn't address one of the main issues, which is how is Israel to deal with the terrorism that is sure to increase after an Israeli withdrawal. It's not just me who is saying this; it's the Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Moshe Yaalon, and the head of the Shabak, and the head of IDF Intelligence, and almost every single general in the IDF. I think we should listen to these military experts."
Ron Nachman, Mayor of Ariel in the Shomron, said, "We're giving real estate, according to Sharon's plan, and we get words in return. There is no guarantee that the President's words will be honored in Congress. This is a dangerous precedent; tomorrow someone will come along and say that we should give away another 'small' strip of land from Rosh Ha'ayin to Ariel, and we'll be told that we can't give up the chance for real peace for the entire region just because of a few thousand people..."
Pinchas Wallerstein, head of the Binyamin Regional Council in southern Shomron, said, "The Prime Minister has created a fissure in Israeli society." He said that Bush had not fully accepted the three conditions set by Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, and therefore, "the question is will Netanyahu support Sharon in any event."
Deputy Mayor of Raanana Uzi Cohen (Likud): "The ceremony last night was designed for Bush's political needs... Regarding the 'right of return' - what, we need three million Arabs to come here right next to our towns and cities?... We are against the disengagement plan, and we will have to work hard to organize and ensure that it does not pass in the referendum... " Well-known as a leading Likud member and an efficient organizational man, Cohen said that though pro-evacuation leader Ehud Olmert met with many Likud mayors who promised him their support, he is not worried:
"Mayors have nothing to do with national diplomatic matters, and they run away from these things like fire. They are not even very well connected with the local Likud chapters; many of them ran on independent tickets. The key here is which side will be more organized and will get out the vote... In the polls, Sharon will win, but in the voting booths, we will win."
Rafi Seri, who is organizing the Likud referendum campaign in Gush Katif against the expulsion plan, says he is "busy all day with getting as many people as possible out of Gush Katif and to the homes of the Likud members around the country. We are concentrating on the area from Rishon LeTzion to Eilat - some 80,000 Likud members - and have divided the area up into 12 sectors. One Gush Katif town is in charge of each sector." The campaign will involve some 2,500 volunteers, who, starting on Sunday, will be going house-to-house, equipped with CD movies, flyers, and more.