Sharon says Abbas different than Arafat
Photo: Gil Yohanan
'Gaza was never for keeps’
Israel never planned to keep Gaza Strip settlements forever, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon says in special interview with Ynet. However, large West Bank settlement blocs to remain in Israeli hands, he says
TEL AVIV - Large West Bank settlement blocs will remain in Israeli hands, but Gaza was never meant to remain under Israeli control forever, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told Ynet in a special Pesach interview.
Removing settlers from Gaza is bound to be a difficult task, Sharon said, and added he feels for them.
However, there is no other choice, he said.
Gaza settlements must be sacrificed in order to keep the rest, as not all dreams can be fulfilled, Sharon said, but added that despite the incitement against him, even within Likud ranks, he plans to run for the ruling party’s leadership again.
Mr. prime minister, would you be visiting Gush Katif?
I wanted to visit in the past, but at the time the (local) council resisted.
Isn’t it important for you to be there?
Look, they’re coming to me, I’m holding talks with them now. I’ll make every effort to make it easier. The disengagement will be implemented, but I’m attempting to ease tensions and mitigate the harm.
But at the same time, do you understand where their harsh words against you come from?
I understand their pain. I also see the acts of incitement being undertaken, including people from my party….is this manner of expression acceptable to me? No.
But you can understand the feelings of a person betrayed by the leader he sent to represent his views – and who later changed his stance by 180 degrees?
The situation changed, not me. I haven’t changed my stance on the issues and didn’t renounce my appreciation for the significance of the settlement enterprise and its weight within the Zionist movement.
From your words it may be understood that you are not undertaking this step wholeheartedly
I would put it this way: I’m doing it with great pain, and wholeheartedly. If I didn’t do it wholeheartedly, I wouldn’t do it. I reached the conclusion this move is right and very important for Israel.
There are achievements we never had before, and I wouldn’t want to lose them. The question of refugees – for the first time an American president declares unequivocally that Palestinian refugees would not be able to return to Israel, that’s a fundamental change.
The second issue is the large settlement blocs. I haven’t found even the slightest change in the American position on the matter during my visit in the United States.
Is the settlers' “historical role” over?
Certainly not. We need to settle in the Jerusalem region and we need to settle in the Galilee and the Negev. In the next 15 years we must bring another million Jews.
So what you’re saying is that, just like in a chess game, we must sacrifice the piece placed in Gaza in favor of other pieces
I’m not saying we have to sacrifice it. Gaza, by the way, is not found in any Israeli plan, and was never a part that was planned to remain (in Israel.)
Ariel, the Etzion bloc of settlements, and Maaleh Adumim would remain in Israeli hands?
All blocs would remain in our hands. And there are more. All of them will be in Israeli hands and enjoy a contiguous land link with Israel.
So why isn’t the fence around Ariel being built?
All settlement blocs would be fenced and remain in Israeli hands forever as a part of the State of Israel. The American approach on the matter has not changed at all.
What will happen here after the disengagement?
I hope we’ll have quiet and security here. If the Palestinians do what they need to do, maybe we could be at the beginning of the Road Map process. This, of course, can only happen on condition they meet their pledges: a complete end to terrorism and incitement, dismantling and disarming terror groups, ending smuggling and shutting down the terror groups’ military industries.
Also needed are serious reforms, as they pledged to undertake, and perhaps a beginning of peace education, because if there is no such education, a genuine peace could never take root here.
Is there a chance it will happen?
I think that in contrast to Yasser Arafat’s days, whose strategy was a strategy of murder…the Palestinian Authority chairman today, Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas), although not a member of the Zionist movement, understands Arafat’s strategy brought great suffering on the Palestinians and is to a large extent responsible for their current state.
Will you meet with him in the near future?
We maintain daily contacts between his office and the Prime Minister’s Office. They update us, they have requests.
Will you view him as personally responsible for terror acts that would take place during disengagement?
As opposed to his predecessor, who I viewed as personally responsible and never shook his hand…I cannot treat Abu Mazen the same way. I can address him as being responsible for not doing the things that need to be done.
It’s clear to me that he wants to (act) - the question is whether he would.
The agreements he struck with terror groups make it difficult for him - in fact, he gave them a piece of the government pie and vowed not to disarm them. We cannot move forward like this on the security front. As long as I lead this country, there will not be even the slightest concession when it comes to security.
Let’s talk about the state of poverty in the country. The number of poor keeps on growing. Those who are addressing this are volunteer organizations, and not the state and its institutions.
The two matters here should be separated. There are hundreds of volunteer groups that show a willingness to help and I can only praise them for that. This is a nation with a heart.
But there’s certainly a serious problem here. We are undergoing a genuine economic revolution whose buds can already be seen…I think we’re moving in the right direction on this front.
Do you back Finance Minister Netanyahu’s economic policy?
I back the finance minister’s actions, he received full backing. At the same time, I think we should offer more help, but the solution is not in the form of more grants. If we do that, the situation next year will be worse.
The solution lies in the ability to produce and attract investment. Produce, export, and create employment. The question of social cohesion is of the utmost important regarding the nation’s ability to stand up to all the tasks and difficulties.
Earlier, you said there is incitement within your party, the Likud. Do you intend, despite everything, to run in the next elections, too?
I intend to run in the next elections.
Against Benjamin Netanyahu or any other candidate?
Anyone can run.
Will elections take place this year?
No, I’ll do every effort so they take place on the date prescribed by law.
In conclusion, as we approach the disengagement, are you optimistic?
We can be optimistic, and there’s still a lot to do
We are told you started surfing the Internet regularly
That’s true, but at home, not at the office
Which websites do you frequent?
Look…even yours.
