In a special session in the midst of the Knesset's Passover recess today, Prime Minister Sharon delivered a diplomatic speech during which he said, "The referendum does not obligate any of the other parties. On the contrary, if the rest of the Knesset decides to vote against the position of the Likud, it is obvious that the Likud's position will not pass." Since it is clear, in light of Labor's stated support for the plan, that it will pass in the Knesset, Sharon was openly signaling that he will make sure to pass the plan in the Knesset even if the Likud votes it down. However, this will be a problematic move for Sharon, as he will be acting against the will of his own party.
As if addressing his words to the 200,000 Likud members, Sharon warned, "Whoever continues to object to the disengagement plan, let it be clear to him that he is taking upon himself the responsibility of canceling all the American commitments... If the plan is not approved, the agreement [with the Americans] is no longer valid..."
Sharon continued to imply that the American commitments will guarantee Israel's future: "Whoever wants to prevent Israel from being flooded with [Arab] refugees; whoever wants to maintain large settlement blocs under our control forever; whoever wants to guarantee that for as long as the Palestinians don't act against terrorism, diplomatic pressures will not be exerted upon us... Whoever wants Israel to initiate and not be dragged; to lead and not be led - whoever wants all this, must support the disengagement plan."
"The diplomatic support we received during my visit to the U.S. is an unprecedented achievement. Never since the establishment of the State have we received such support with such strength and comprehension," said Sharon. "The Palestinians see the Bush letter as the strongest blow they have received since [our] War of Independence."
Sharon said that in the event of an Israeli-PA disagreement on any issue addressed by U.S. President George Bush during the recent Bush-Sharon summit in Washington, "the U.S. will side with Israel. This is an unprecedented achievement... The Palestinians are beginning to understand [that] if they don't fulfill their obligations, Israel will continue to act on its own. Their current policy will only lead them to lose further assets and further cards in the final-stage negotiations."
Arutz-7 asked MK Tzvi Hendel (National Union), a resident of Gush Katif, to respond to this point. Hendel said, "How are they losing? We're giving them assets! The Arabs are very happy about this disengagement plan - they're only putting on a show of being against in order to help it along. They're thrilled that we want to dismantle Jewish towns and give them over to them. I meet the Arab MKs in the Knesset and that's what they say. In addition, it's not true that this is the first time the Americans have made these promises - [former President] Clinton gave all this to [then-Prime Minister] Barak back in Camp David..."
Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director of IMRA (Independent Media Research Analysis), told Arutz-7's Ezra HaLevi that in his speech, PM Sharon claimed “not only that U.S. President Bush’s so-called commitments – which were all simply reaffirmations of existing U.S. positions – are conditional on acceptance of his plan but that, ‘whoever wishes wide American support for Israel’s right to defend itself; whoever wishes to see American support for our war against terror… must support the Disengagement Plan.’ His claim that America’s long-standing support for Israel is now somehow dependent on the acceptance of his plan is simply untrue.”
Dr. Lerner contacted Paul Patin, the spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, and asked him whether PM Sharon's assertion that America's commitment to Israel's survival are conditioned upon Israel implementing the disengagement plan. Patin replied: "Our commitment to Israel is long standing and philosophical, as well as political, and is based on our shared values as well as our shared interests and is unshakable."
As if addressing his words to the 200,000 Likud members, Sharon warned, "Whoever continues to object to the disengagement plan, let it be clear to him that he is taking upon himself the responsibility of canceling all the American commitments... If the plan is not approved, the agreement [with the Americans] is no longer valid..."
Sharon continued to imply that the American commitments will guarantee Israel's future: "Whoever wants to prevent Israel from being flooded with [Arab] refugees; whoever wants to maintain large settlement blocs under our control forever; whoever wants to guarantee that for as long as the Palestinians don't act against terrorism, diplomatic pressures will not be exerted upon us... Whoever wants Israel to initiate and not be dragged; to lead and not be led - whoever wants all this, must support the disengagement plan."
"The diplomatic support we received during my visit to the U.S. is an unprecedented achievement. Never since the establishment of the State have we received such support with such strength and comprehension," said Sharon. "The Palestinians see the Bush letter as the strongest blow they have received since [our] War of Independence."
Sharon said that in the event of an Israeli-PA disagreement on any issue addressed by U.S. President George Bush during the recent Bush-Sharon summit in Washington, "the U.S. will side with Israel. This is an unprecedented achievement... The Palestinians are beginning to understand [that] if they don't fulfill their obligations, Israel will continue to act on its own. Their current policy will only lead them to lose further assets and further cards in the final-stage negotiations."
Arutz-7 asked MK Tzvi Hendel (National Union), a resident of Gush Katif, to respond to this point. Hendel said, "How are they losing? We're giving them assets! The Arabs are very happy about this disengagement plan - they're only putting on a show of being against in order to help it along. They're thrilled that we want to dismantle Jewish towns and give them over to them. I meet the Arab MKs in the Knesset and that's what they say. In addition, it's not true that this is the first time the Americans have made these promises - [former President] Clinton gave all this to [then-Prime Minister] Barak back in Camp David..."
Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director of IMRA (Independent Media Research Analysis), told Arutz-7's Ezra HaLevi that in his speech, PM Sharon claimed “not only that U.S. President Bush’s so-called commitments – which were all simply reaffirmations of existing U.S. positions – are conditional on acceptance of his plan but that, ‘whoever wishes wide American support for Israel’s right to defend itself; whoever wishes to see American support for our war against terror… must support the Disengagement Plan.’ His claim that America’s long-standing support for Israel is now somehow dependent on the acceptance of his plan is simply untrue.”
Dr. Lerner contacted Paul Patin, the spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, and asked him whether PM Sharon's assertion that America's commitment to Israel's survival are conditioned upon Israel implementing the disengagement plan. Patin replied: "Our commitment to Israel is long standing and philosophical, as well as political, and is based on our shared values as well as our shared interests and is unshakable."