Palestinians Discount Report on Sharon and settlements
Excite - News: "Palestinians Discount Report on Sharon Plans | Nov 22, 7:19 am ET | By Wafa Amr

GAZA (Reuters) - Palestinian officials discounted on Saturday a report that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon plans to remove some Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip as a 'public relations move.'
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"We'll believe it when we see it," Palestinian Labor Minister Ghassan el-Khatib told Reuters.

"Such Israeli declarations are public relations moves because genuine moves are through the implementation of the road map," Palestinian cabinet minister Saeb Erekat said.
- posted by Editor @ 6:01 AM

Israel's Sharon to Uproot Some West Bank Settlements in 2004
Excite - News: "Israel's Sharon to Uproot Settlements in 2004 -TV | Nov 21, 2:23 pm ET

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon plans to remove some Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip by the summer of 2004 to make way for a Palestinian state, Israel's Channel 2 television said Friday.

Channel 2 political correspondent Amnon Avrahamovitch said Sharon, a longtime champion of Jewish settlements in the occupied territories, hatched the plan to make way for a Palestinian state as envisaged in the U.S.-backed 'road map' to peace. "
- posted by Editor @ 6:00 AM

Sharon broke vow to Bush: secret government memorandum says "not evacuated the illegal outposts"
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Sharon broke vow to Bush: "Chris McGreal | Friday November 14, 2003 | The Guardian

The Israeli government has admitted in a secret memorandum that Ariel Sharon has failed to honour commitments to President George Bush to dismantle Jewish settler outposts in the West Bank.

The memorandum, which originated in the Israeli foreign ministry and was leaked to Reuters, is an admission of duplicity by Mr Sharon, who gave face-to-face commitments to Mr Bush to dismantle the outposts to show good faith toward the US-led 'road map' peace process.

The memo says: 'International criticism is growing because of our lack of creative ideas for getting out of the conflict.

'Our claim that Israel has fulfilled its side of the 'road map' is seen as lacking credibility because not only have we not evacuated the illegal outposts, we are working in every way to whitewash their existence and build more.' " ...
- posted by Editor @ 7:21 AM

Settlement Outposts Becoming Permanent
Excite News: "Settlement Outposts Becoming Permanent | Nov 14, 4:54 AM (ET) | By GAVIN RABINOWITZ

GIVAT ASSAF, West Bank (AP) - It began with a single tent at a busy West Bank junction two years ago. Now, a playground with a Donald Duck ride and neat lawns between trailer homes give this settlement outpost an air of permanence.

Israel has agreed to remove more than 100 such outposts as part of the U.S.-backed 'road map' peace plan, but has taken little action. Instead, the government has quietly funded construction in some and plans to grant legal status to others.

It has been Israel's declared policy for several years not to build new settlements. However, peace activists fear outposts like the one at Givat Assaf are growing into exactly that."
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Many Orthodox Jews among the settlers believe Israel has a God-given right to the West Bank. Others believe new settlements are vital to Israel's security, establishing a presence along the roads where Israelis have been killed in Palestinian ambushes and in the hills overlooking their homes....


- posted by Editor @ 6:43 AM

American spy chiefs want more pressure on settlements
American spy chiefs want more pressure on settlements: "American spy chiefs want more pressure on settlements | By Amir Oren | Monday, November 03, 2003

The U.S. Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) has recommended to the Bush administration to apply 'clear and intentional pressure' on Israel regarding the settlements, as part of making headway with the Palestinians, as well as helping to calm the situation heating up in Iraq.
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Ford submitted that the urgency of advancing an Israeli-Palestinian agreement, which necessitates pressure on Israel regarding the settlements, was one of two conditions for stability in Iraq. The other was visible progress on democracy and welfare in Iraq itself. Ford expressed doubts over fulfilling these conditions, and described the chance of achieving success on both counts as "a miracle," but that without it, the U.S. should expect Arab and Muslim hostility to increase further, threatening prospects for the future.
- posted by Editor @ 5:54 AM