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Ariel. 'Heart of consensus'
Photo: AFP
Eli Yishai
Photo: Gil Yohanan

Settler leaders unfazed by leaked papers

Ma'aleh Adumim mayor confident city will remain under Israeli sovereignty in any future peace deal. Peace Now views documents as sign Israel has true peace partner

The recently leaked documents on negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians do not seem to faze settler leaders who remain confident that any future full status agreements will keep such major settlement blocks as Ariel and Ma'aleh Adumim under Israeli sovereignty .

 

One of the papers revealed that in 2008 the Palestinians suggested that Ma'aleh Adumim residents live under Palestinian sovereignty. Ma'aleh Adumim Mayor Benny Kashriel giggled at the thought. "It’s all basically lies," he told Ynet. "It’s all disinformation. Ma'aleh Adumim is at the heart of the national consensus in the State of Israel."

 

The mayor noted that Labor and Likud governments built and fortified Ma'aleh Adumim and pledged that the city will expand towards Jerusalem and will be "an inseparable part of the State of Israel forever." He further added: "We are strong financial, politically and in the security aspect and in the future Ma'aleh Adumim will be under Israeli sovereignty.

 

The documents also revealed that the Palestinians insisted that Ariel not be annexed to Israel as part of the major settlement blocks. Ariel Mayor Ron Nachman said in response, "Ariel is Israel's heart and will remain this way." He further added that "any Knesset member and minister who visited Ariel stated that it shall remain part of the State of Israel in any political agreement. Ariel is a consensus, it's a fact."

 

The 1,600 papers also revealed that former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert suggested Israel annex the major settlement blocks including Ariel, Gush Etzion and the Jewish neighborhoods in east Jerusalem, apart from Har Homa.

 

'Maybe Olmert had too much champagne'

Shomron Regional Council head Gershon Meskika described the idea of evicting settlers who do not live in settlement blocks as bizarre. "Maybe Olmert sipped a little bit too much champagne during the discussions," he said.

 

Interior Minister Eli Yishai was not surprised by Olmert's compromise proposal. "We all know there are formal and informal negotiations being held and obviously the most generous offers aren't made public, certainly not in the formal stage." He added it was best not to discuss what Israel offers. "We always talk about what we're willing and not willing to give up while the Palestinians never discuss it."

 

Meanwhile, the Left sees the leaks as good Israel has a true peace partner. "Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) and his government are the most pragmatic and moderate partner Israel can ask for," Peace Now Secretary-General Yariv Oppenheimer said. "We shall miss such Palestinian offers to solve the conflict should negotiations not be resumed soon."

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 01.24.11, 15:02
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