Will US, EU foot bill for evacuation-compensation of settlers?

Israel has been exploring the possibility that the European Union and the US will put up some of the funds required for the implementation of the evacuation-compensation bill, should it mature into an act.

The cabinet held a heated debate on the motion on Sunday, but Ynet has learned that none of the party heads have actually been briefed on the bill, nor has the cabinet been presented with details as to its funding.

Both Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Vice Premier Haim Ramon want to see the evacuation-compensation motion pushed through. Ramon presented the cabinet with the motion's outline during its Sunday meeting, according to which settlers who will agree to voluntarily leave their West Bank homes, east of the separation fence, will be eligible for up to NIS 1.1 million (about $305,640) each in restitution funds.

Ramon said that he expected his initial motion to be presented to the government in bill form within weeks, and that he expects the government to vote in favor of it. Once the government approves the bill, it would be brought before the Knesset.

Ramon has reportedly been exploring the possibility that a substantial part of the funding required to implement the expensive feat, will be provided by the US and EU. Sources in the Prime Minister's Office and the Vice Premier's Office, however, refused to say whether foreign financial aid will be part of the future evacuation-compensation plan.

According to a survey held by Smith Consulting for the Prime Minister's Office, a future evacuation-compensation plan will span relocating roughly 62,000 people, at an estimated cost of NIS 15.6 billion ($4,379 billion).

Another issue the evacuation-compensation motion has yet to address in Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter and the Homeland Security's concerns that the police would be unable to stop settlers from rebuilding the homes torn down as part of the evacuation.

A separate concern for the defense establishment is the fact that many of the settlers living east of the security fence have no intention of leaving voluntarily.

Business as usual

Though confident his evacuation-compensation motion will be pushed through, Vice Premier Haim Ramon seemed pessimistic as for the chances of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process yielding an agreement "in a year, two, five or even eight."

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas are scheduled to meet in Jerusalem on Tuesday, along with the Israeli negotiating teams, headed by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Head of the Palestinian negotiations team, Ahmed Qureia.

Diplomatic sources told Ynet that Olmert and Abbas' understandings run deeper than those achieved between the negotiating teams.

The main issues which have yet to be resolved are the Palestinians reluctance to agree to a borderline, even if Israel substantially reduces settlement blocs; and the question of Jerusalem's future– which Olmert has reportedly asked be postponed to a later date.

Another issue still debates is the Palestinians right of return, as well as their demand to form a formal army – Israeli on its part is demanding the entire West Bank be demilitarized. All these are still clouded by Hamas' strengthening grip on the Gaza Strip – an issue Israel demands be resolved before the negotiations go any further.