Gush Shalom, Sharon's plan is a recipe for annexation and war

"Ariel Sharon's speech of today [December 18] is a masterpiece of misrepresentation, half-truths and outright lies," Gush Shalom declared immediately afterwards. "The polished formulations are hiding the clear intent of annexing more than half the West Bank, while giving up a few far-away and isolated settlements that are the army consider as a burden."

As examples of blatant untruths, Gush Shalom cites:

1. Sharon: The Road Map demands that the Palestinians eliminate terrorism, and that only afterwards Israel is requested to fulfill its obligations.

The truth: The Road Map demands that Israel starts to fulfill its obligations at once, simultaneous with and independent of the steps to be taken by the Palestinians.

2. Sharon: The Road Map demands from Israel to remove "unlicensed outposts."

The truth: The Road Map demand from Israel to remove ALL settlements set up after January 2001.

3. Sharon: The Road Map allows Israel to build inside the "built-up area" of the settlements.

The truth: The Road Map forbids any building activity in the settlements. The "built up areas" of the settlements have been planned in advance in such a way that tens of thousands of new houses can be built there.

4. Sharon: Lately we have made life much easier for the Palestinians.

The truth: While life was intolerable even before, it has become much worse lately. Almost no checkpoint has been removed, free movement is impossible, and, worst of all, the "separation fence" has cut off hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their sources of livelihood as well as from their schools, hospitals, universities and even cemeteries.

5. Sharon: The "separation fence" is necessary for security.

The truth: The present path of the barrier is not separating Israelis from Palestinians, but Palestinians from Palestinians, in order to imprison them in more than a dozen isolated enclaves.

6. Sharon: A "contiguous" Palestinian state will be set up.

The truth: Between the enclaves that Sharon is creating by the "separation fence" and other means, there is no real contiguity. Sharon promises to connect the enclaves by artificial means like bridges, roads and tunnels that can be cut off by the army at any moment.

The removal of some outlying settlements is demanded by the army, which does not have enough forces to defend them. Sharon uses the promise of their removal as an alibi for annexing practically all of "Area C", which comprises more than half of the West Bank.

Gush Shalom --- the Peace Bloc --- is an Israeli peace group. Visit their website at http://www.gush-shalom.org.

Also in this section:
Jackson, The Day of the Martyrs
Dean, Restoring the American community
Fisher, Panama's election campaign begins in earnest
Gush Shalom, Sharon's plan a recipe for annexation and war
Human Rights Watch, Don't sweep Bolivian massacre under the rug
A year's collection of thoughts to bear in mind
Bernal, The day someone assassinated President Remón

opinion

Ariel Sharon's plan:
a recipe for war and annexation

opinion

Ariel Sharon's plan: a recipe for war and annexation

Ariel Sharon's plan:
a recipe for war and annexation