Tuesday, May 27, 2003
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Mr Mofaz, who reluctantly voted for the road map in the stormy Cabinet session and has consistently warned that ``it is bad for Israel'', today told the Army Radio, ``We did not vote on an international agreement. In fact, this is not a legal document, there is no sort of commitment here, rather this is a declaration of diplomatic intentions.'' ``In my view, this is a reality in which we are saying yes to the process, even though the chances are not necessarily high — certainly not in view of the period of time that has transpired since the Abu Mazen Government was established — but we are prepared to go into the process positively.'' Mr Mofaz, however, voiced trust that Washington would address Israel's security and other concerns, as embodied in the list of 14 reservations the Government has sent to the Bush administration. ``The Americans stated that they are relating to all of Israel's comments fully and seriously, and from this it can be understood that there is very profound commitment with respect to Israel's comments,'' he said. The approval of the road map for peace by the Israeli Cabinet yesterday was the first time that an Israeli Government has gone on record supporting the concept of an independent Palestinian state. The three-phased plan envisions the creation of a Palestinian state by 2005 under a land-for-peace deal.
Second meeting
As the Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, prepares for a second high-level meeting with his Palestinian counterpart, Mahmoud Abbas, he has some homework to do to keep his coalition intact amidst reports of emerging fissures, with demands by far-right lawmakers to bolt the Government. While Mr Mofaz tried to distance himself from the peace outline, three of the seven National Union lawmakers have urged that their far-right party immediately leave Mr. Sharon's ruling coalition, daily Ha'aretz reported today. In an overnight meeting of the National Union party, the lawmakers, Uri Ariel, Zvi Hendel and Aryeh Eldar, called for withdrawal of the party's support to the Government. The National Union Cabinet Ministers, Avigdor Lieberman and Benny Elon, who voted against the proposal yesterday, argued against leaving the Government, maintaining that the move would leave the door open for the centre-left Labour to step into the Cabinet. Meanwhile, Mr. Sharon asserted his resolve to push the roadmap forward despite his own doubts in what he called was ``not a happy decision''. ``This is not a happy decision,'' the Prime Minister said yesterday, speaking in Jerusalem. ``We will need to make painful concessions, and if the process moves forward, and I will make every effort to see that it does, we will make painful concessions such as these. But in one sphere there will be no concession, and that is in the sphere of the security of Israel and of its citizens.'' ``I know that there are doubts. Everyone has doubts. I have doubts as well. But I know one thing. We must try''. Unnamed officials were quoted as saying by the Ha'aretz as saying that a planned tripartite summit between the Israeli and Palestinian Prime Ministers and Mr. Bush could be held in Aqaba, Jordan, rather than the previously announced Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm al-Sheik. — AP
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