Sharon under attack: The Likud has launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, after Newsweek quoted a Sharon adviser saying the PM intends to concede parts of Jerusalem and allow the creation of a Palestinian state on 90 percent of the West Bank.
Notably, former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used the slogan “Peres will divide Jerusalem” during his 1996 elections campaign, and it now appears the slogan will be used again in the campaign against Sharon.
Netanyahu himself, responding to the report, told Likud activist during a meeting in Netanya that “the secret is out.”
“Sharon’s people are exposing what he’s trying to hide, but everyone already knows – Sharon will divide Jerusalem and bring the Palestinians to the 1967 borders,” Netanyahu said.
Likud MK Uzi Landau also responded with anger, saying “the prime minister, as usual is misleading everyone…past experience teaches us that when the prime minister is quick to deny, we know for certain the reports are true.”
Earlier, Prime Minister’s Office denied reports that Sharon is willing to concede parts of Jerusalem in a final peace accord with the Palestinians.
'Jerusalem will remain Israel’s capital forever'
American magazine Newsweek quoted pollster Kalman Gayer as saying that Sharon is willing to concede 90 percent of the West Bank and parts of Jerusalem for the establishment of a Palestinian state with a capital in Jerusalem.
A statement issued on behalf of Sharon was broadcast on Channel 1.
“The comments attributed to Gayer contradict my opinion, and if Mr. Gayer did in fact say what is attributed to him, his comments are
nonsensical. The Road Map is the political plan to which we are committed and a united Jerusalem will remain Israel’s capital forever.”
Channel 1 also quoted Gayer as saying, “I never attributed a policy that included concession of the kind to Sharon. All I said was that there is an array of ideas circulating in Israel and I have no idea how the journalist interpreted concessions like these as a Sharon policy.”
Right wing politicians rushed to condemn the prime minister. Likud MK Ehud Yatom said that when Sharon abandoned Likud and formed Kadima he was taking the first step toward partitioning Jerusalem and withdrawing to the 1967 border.
Labor MK Yitzhak Herzog said the comments are another political spin by Sharon associates aimed at covering for Kadima’s failure to present a plan to address the most pressing issue of poverty.
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