Livni still supports realignment
In conference on realignment foreign minister declares her stance regarding PM's pullout plan has not changed in recent days. poll presented in conference reveals at least half of Israelis oppose realignment
"The last days' events changed nothing – there were no surprises here. On the eve of the disengagement we knew there will be terror coming from Gaza. the Qassams on Sderot are also not a news thing," she stated.
According to Livni, the recent developments in the Palestinian Authority were the result of Hamas' ascension to power, which was in itself a surprise, as she claims Israel believed the disengagement would strengthen the moderate elements in the PA.
Seeking for solution to refugee issue
Referring to the principles that would serve as guidelines for Israel during the realignment, the foreign minister reported that an intra-ministerial committee headed by her Ministry's director-general, Aharon Abramovich, has been working for over six months on defining the Israeli interests in the framework of the plan.
Livni stressed that the plan would be based on the two-state solution, and that it would aim for a Palestinian state to resolve the Palestinian refugees issue in the same way the Zionist State served as a solution for the Jewish refugees.
“The establishment of a Palestinian state will allow us to have a national home for the Jewish people, a democratic Jewish state. The notion of two states also obligates maintaining a row of Israeli interests. During the past six months, a committee headed by the director general of the Foreign Ministry has been gathering and mapping out various Israeli interests, and is establishing which are necessary and how they can be guarded. In any case, I believe it is preferable to reach a solution by agreement, and unilateralism is not an ideology,” Livni said.
Livni also commented on the international recognition Israel requires. "There is a series of interests we will be obligated to. One of the most obvious things is our desire to have the international community declare that in terms of international law, the occupation has ended in the places Israel withdrew from. We wish to stop being responsible for what happens with the Palestinians in the world's eyes, as well as in ours," she concluded.
Poll: Majority oppose realignment
At the opening of a convention at the Reut Institute, a survey commissioned by the institute was presented. The survey, which was carried out last week, questioned roughly 500 people on the realignment plan.
The poll revealed that a majority of 49 percent oppose the implementation of the plan compared to 38 percent who support it. Further, 72 percent of those questioned believe the Israeli government should topple the Hamas leadership, and a majority by a slim margin (47 percent) oppose negotiations with Hamas for a ceasefire, compared to 45 percent who support talks.
Ramon: We intended to release prisoners
In a conference of the Council for Peace and Security in Ramat Gan, Justice Minister Haim Ramon said he believes that about eight percent of the Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria will remain under Israeli control. "By the end of the year we want to exhaust the realignment plan negotiations with the Palestinians," said Ramon.
"Without the disengagement we could have been ostracized internationally like South Africa in its Apartheid period, even Israel's friends have already gave up on it," said Ramon.
Minister Ramon revealed that on the same day that Corporal Gilad Shalit was abducted, Palestinian and Israeli officials were scheduled to meet and set the stage for the meeting between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
Ramon also revealed that Olmert has intended on implementing far-reaching humanitarian measures and release Palestinian prisoners as a humanitarian gesture to the Palestinian Authority, including prisoners that Israel refused to release several years ago, especially those who were included in a list that Abbas gave Israel and the Israel declined. "Unfortunately, terror prevented our will to start negotiations," continued Ramon.
Ramon also attacked Abbas for his inability to fight terror: "Half of the terror activity in the West Bank is carried out by the Fatah. The President is unable to control semi-criminal gangs in Gaza. It seems that the real leader of the Palestinian Authority is Khaled Mashaal, not Mahmoud Abbas nor Ismail Haniyeh."
Moran Zelikovich contributed to the report
