U.S. Secretary of State Rice began a visit to Israel last night (Thursday), meeting with Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom and other officials. (See below)
American policy is that Israel must not expand any communities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza (Yesha) and that their status will be determined in negotiations with the Palestinian Authority (PA). A crisis blew up earlier this year when the government announced new building in the city of Ma'aleh Adumim, east of Jerusalem.
Washington objected but sidestepped Sharon's statements that the United States had promised that the heavily populated areas of Ariel, Gush Etzion and Ma'aleh Adumim will not be on the negotiating table with the Palestinian Authority (PA).
Sharon said during a Thursday afternoon visit in Ariel, "I came to check how we can expand the town, as I'm doing in other blocs. This bloc will forever be an inseparable part of the State of Israel and enjoy a contiguous territorial connection to it." The last phrase constitutes a challenge to American policy because it would require Israel's retaining the area from Rosh HaAyin east to Ariel.
Sharon also used the same term that American President George W. Bush has used in the past concerning a "contiguous" link in a new Arab state to include Gaza with the distant areas of Judea and Samaria.
Sharon pledged that Ariel would be linked to Israel while referring to his plan to surrender the Jewish communities in Gaza and give the PA control of the entire Gaza region.
"We haven't managed to realize the entire dream," he said, referring either to his planned destruction of Gaza or of other communities in Judea and Samaria, "but what we did succeed in doing is of the utmost importance."
Political analysts said that Sharon's sudden right-ward thrust is his way of preparing for Binyamin Netanyahu's challenge to his party leadership. At least one of Sharon's aides denied this, saying that Sharon's visit to Ariel was scheduled several weeks ago and is unconnected with party politics.
Sharon said, "Let there be no mistake: We will remain forever in Maaleh Adumim. The southern part of the territories, Judea, will not be disengaged from the northern part, Samaria. There are several ways to solve this problem... The Bible is stronger than any political document." Asked about the possibility of expelling the Jewish residents of Hevron, Sharon said, "Hevron is a holy city in Judaism. What other nation has forefathers who are buried in Hevron like Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, Isaac, Rebecca and Leah?"
Sharon said he hopes the disengagement will lead the way back to the Road Map plan - "but only on condition that the Palestinians take care of terrorism."
Extreme left-wing MK Zahava Gal'on (Meretz-Yachad) later said, "There is no better guarantee that we will leave a certain place than when Sharon says that we will remain there forever. He also said that about Netzarim, when he said that Netzarim's future is like that of Tel Aviv." Gal'on said that Israel cannot retain any part of Judea and Samaria without the Palestinian Authority's consent.
Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak also responded to Sharon's remarks. "It's time already to stop this self-deception. On the day after the disengagement, the truth will come out that Sharon received nothing from the Americans in exchange for the withdrawal from Gaza. Unfortunately, as far as the Americans are concerned, Ariel is not inside the settlement blocs that will remain in the Green Line, and this is why Sharon is not building the security fence around Ariel."
US Secretary Rice concluded her low-profile visit to Israel with talks with Prime Minister Sharon at his HaShikmim Ranch Friday morning. The two did not hold a press conference afterwards. Rice, who is to meet with Palestinian Authority chief Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) tomorrow, said once again that the PA and Israel must cooperate to ensure a quiet withdrawal from Gaza and noirthern Samaria. Rice and Sharon spoke about Israel's plan to demolish Jewish homes in Gaza, but did not announce a solution to the financial and technical problem of disposal of the rubble.