'24 outposts to be removed’
Israel will evacuate unauthorized outposts built in March 2001 and later, as stipulated by the road map, Prime Minister Sharon tells United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan; U.N. head is in Israel for new Holocaust museum’s inauguration
JERUSALEM - Israel will remove unauthorized outposts built in March 2001 and later, as stipulated by the “road map” peace plan, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan during their meeting Sunday.
Sharon’s decision conforms with the position advanced by senior Likud ministers, but flies in the face of Labor party officials, who demanded all illegal outposts be evacuated.
The process of removing the outposts has been made more difficult by preparations for the Gaza pullout, Sharon said, but added that Israel will nonetheless evacuate newer outposts, as it pledged to do.
Senior Likud Ministers Limor Livnat, Benjamin Netanyahu, Shaul Mofaz, and Danny Naveh demanded that only newer outposts be removed, despite objections by attorney Talia Sasson, who submitted the recent unauthorized outposts report to Sharon
“There is no difference, in legal terms, between the 71 outposts built before 2001 and the 24 outposts established following the road map,” she said.
The government approved Sunday the establishment of a ministerial committee on the illegal outpost issue. However, the committee lacks any operational authority.
Prime Minister’s Office sources told Ynet that only Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz has the authority to order the dismantling of illegal outposts, and the decision to form the committee is meant to prevent the construction of illegal outposts in the future.
Warm meeting in Jerusalem
Sharon and Annan met in Jerusalem Sunday, in what turned into an unusually warm session.
Sharon told Annan that Israel was disappointed that no clear statements were made at the recent London Conference regarding the war on terrorism and the need to destroy the terror infrastructure.
The Prime added that despite the decrease in anti-Israeli propaganda in the Palestinian media, the continued poisoning of student minds by the Palestinian educational system would hinder peace efforts.
Sharon emphasized that while Israel intends to move forward with the diplomatic process, the Palestinians must fight terror seriously.
“Without a real Palestinian operation against terror, we will not be able to advance anything,” he said.
The two also discussed Syria, Hizbullah, and the Iranian involvement in Lebanon.
Sharon said Israel supports the full implementation of U.N. Resolution 1559, and Annan said he asked U.N. Envoy to the Middle East Terje Roed-Larsen to visit Syria and Lebanon and demand a complete withdrawal of Syrian forces from its neighbor according to a defined timetable.
Sharon, who lauded Annan for his efforts to curb global anti-Semitism and advance regional peace, said he hoped the visit would boost relations between Israel and the U.N. and help improve regional affairs.
Annan is the first leader in a list that includes more than 40 international politicians, who are expected to arrive in Israel in the coming days in order to participate in the inauguration of the new Holocaust Museum at Yad Vashem.
The inauguration ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday.
Annan encouraged by Sharm summit
During Sunday’s meeting, Annan expressed his satisfaction with what he said was progress in regional peace efforts.
“We are very encouraged by the developments at the Sharm summit,” he said.
Annan added that he is glad to be working with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in a bid to move the peace process forward.
The U.N. head is expected to meet with President Moshe Katsav Monday.
New Holocaust museum
As noted above, Annan will take part in the inauguration of the new Yad Vashem Holocaust museum - A 10-year, USD 40 million project. The new museum’s power is largely a result of the smaller details, namely furniture, personal belongings, and family photographs.
The memorial also features a restoration of the Warsaw Ghetto’s main street.
In addition to the new museum, the compound would also feature a Holocaust art museum, which includes the largest collection in the world of art created in ghettos, concentration camps, and various hideouts.
Other additions include a pavilion that would host changing exhibitions, a learning center, and a synagogue that would display objects brought from deserted synagogues or those that were razed during the Holocaust.
