[GushShalom] Sharon speech - paving the way for unilateral annexations

[Gush Shalom (Israeli Peace Bloc)]

GUSH SHALOM  pob 3322, Tel-Aviv 61033 www.gush-shalom.org

Gush Shalom Press Release
Tel-Aviv December 18, 2003

	Sharon's Speech: Tissue of Lies and Half-Truths
	His "Plan" - Recipe for War and Annexation

     "Ariel Sharon's speech of today is a masterpiece of misrepresentation, 
half-truths and outright lies," Gush Shalom declared immediately 
afterwards. "The polished formulations are hiding the clear intent of 
annexing more than half the West Bank, while giving up a few far-away 
and isolated settlements that are the army consider as a burden."
     
     As examples of blatant untruths, Gush Shalom cites:

1. Sharon: The Road Map demands that the Palestinians eliminate 
terrorism, and that only afterwards Israel is requested to fulfil its 
obligations.
      The truth: The Road Map demands that Israel starts to fulfil its 
obligations at once, simultaneous with and independent of the steps to be 
taken by the Palestinians.

2. The Road Map demands from Israel to remove "unlicensed outposts".
      The truth: The Road Map demand from Israel to remove ALL 
settlements set up after January 2001.

3. Sharon: The Road Map allows Israel to build inside the "built-up area" 
of the settlements.
     The truth: The Road Map forbids any building activity in the 
settlements. The "built up areas" of the settlements have been planned in 
advance in such a way that tens of thousands of new houses can be built 
there.

4. Sharon: Lately we have made life much easier for the Palestinians.
The truth: While life was intolerable even before, it has become much 
worse lately. Almost no checkpoint has been removed, free movement is 
impossible, and, worst of all, the "separation fence" has cut off hundred 
thousands of Palestinians from their sources of livelihood as well as from 
their schools, hospitals, universities and even cemeteries.

5. Sharon: The "separation fence" is necessary for security.
     The truth: The present path of the barrier is not separating Israelis from 
Palestinians, but Palestinians from Palestinians, in order to imprison them 
in more than a dozen isolated enclaves.

6. Sharon: A "contiguous" Palestinian state will be set up.
     The truth: Between the enclaves that Sharon is creating by the 
"separation fence" and other means, there is no real contiguity. Sharon 
promises to connect the enclaves by artificial means like bridges, roads 
and tunnels that can be cut off by the army at any moment.

     The removal of some outlying settlements is demanded by the army, 
which does not have enough forces to defend them. Sharon uses the 
promise of their removal as an alibi for annexing practically all of "Area C", 
which comprises more than half of the West Bank.   

        

[Gush Shalom ad in Ha'aretz  tomorrow, Dec. 19, 
  Hebrew  follows  English]

DON'T
LISTEN 
TO SHARON'S
WORDS - 
LOOK
AT HIS
HANDS!

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