Barak suggests tunnel connecting between Gaza, West Bank
Defense minister says 'we can reach Palestinian territorial continuity by digging a 48-kilometer tunnel between Beit Hanoun, Hebron at reasonable cost of $2-3 billion'
Labor Party Chairman and Defense Minister Ehud Barak said during a meeting with students at Ben-Gurion University Monday that "we can reach a territorial continuity between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, by digging a 48-kilometer (157.5-feet) tunnel under Israeli sovereignty with Palestinian control of the traffic."
Barak said that the tunnel, which may be dug between Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza and a village near Hebron would cost between $2-3 billion, "a reasonable sum."
The minister said peace could be reached "only from a position of power, whereby the other side (Palestinians) understands that we cannot be defeated militarily or by way of terror or (diplomatic ploys)."
Turning his attention to the upcoming elections, the Labor chief slammed Kadima and one of its senior members, Vice Premier Haim Ramon, saying "what kind of new politics can this party introduce if one of its top officials was involved in embarrassing offenses, was convicted in a court of law and did not appeal the verdict but rather asked the government to investigate those who investigated him. What kind of new politics is this?"
Ramon was convicted in January 2007 of indecent conduct for kissing a female soldier against her will. He said in response to the comments that "Barak failed the most reverberating failure of all prime ministers. He was kicked out by the public within a year and a half and took down the Labor party. His errors caused the outbreak of the second intifada, which led to the deaths of over a thousand Israelis."
