Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has recently reiterated that he “will not uproot a single” settlement in Gaza Strip. He then reiterated that “«No settlement will be evacuated,» claiming that «Such an evacuation would only encourage terrorism and increase the pressure on us.» noting that every Israeli settlement has to be regrded from the Israeli perspective as the settlements “the main Israeli city of Tel Aviv.” Actually, Mr. Sharon paid no heed neither to repeated international calls as to halt settlements constructions, including those by top US diplomat, nor to the many of the Israelis. Thus, US Secretary of State, Powell’s statements “something has to be done about the problem of the settlements” went unheeded not to mention many others! Mr Sharon responded by saying that he would never contemplate giving up even Netzarim in the Gaza Strip.

According to the Peace Now group, an Israeli group which campaigns against all settlements, says that since Ariel Sharon was elected Israeli prime minister in February 2001, settlers have also established 35 new "outposts" - settlements of caravans later replaced by permanent buildings. “as long as Israel continues to hold the settlements, it will be forced to act immorally toward the Palestinian population. The Jewish settlement stands inside the West Bank and is thus illegal under international law. "We can say with absolute certainty that the intifada is being used as a smokescreen to expand settlements in an unprecedented way," says Didi Remez of Peace Now. In the meantime, a recent poll showed that almost half of the Israelis support withdrawal from settlements; "What we've seen is a rise in empathy for settlers. At the same time we are seeing an unprecedented shift in the way Israelis view the settlements," says Mr Remez.

For its part, B'Tselem, the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, published also a report on settlement policies in the West Bank, which revealed that although only 1.7 percent of settlement territory in the West Bank is built upon, settlers in fact control 41.9 percent of the West Bank. According to B'Tselem, some 380,000 Israelis live in West Bank settlements, including those established in East Jerusalem. Beyond the percentage of land built upon, 5.1 percent of the land is designated for municipal use and 35.1 percent is appropriated land outside the municipality's borders. The report added that settlement construction continued during the diplomatic process and since the Oslo accords, approximately 1,000 new apartments have been built in the West Bank, under the claim that they were needed to answer the "natural growth" demand of the Jewish population in the territories. The Israeli civilian settlements thus appear to constitute a "transfer of parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies" The Sharon Government, with the backing of the Labor Party, is continuing the settlement policy in the territories. The creation of new settlements inflames the conflict with the Palestinians and endangers more Israeli soldiers and civilians. The settlements policy also jeopardizes Israel's position in the new world constellation formed in the wake of the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks. The Settlements are an obstacle to any future agreement, and, as in the past, the settlers are endangering Israel's security and leading us on a suicidal path, said Prof. Arie Arnon, Peace Now Update, on October 4, 2001

The settlements established in these territories through miserable decisions by all the governments of Israel, are draining the economy, undermining social solidarity and creating huge and harmful gaps between the settlers--who are granted encouragement and benefits by the government--and the citizens who live within the Green Line and carry a heavy burden. The injuries to innocent civilians, the unbearable delays at the roadblocks, the humiliation of hundreds of thousands of human beings, the insolent construction of new settlements--these are the bitter fruit of the occupation of the territories. The occupation is not only eroding the ability of the sovereign state to defend itself, and is not only undermining its moral standing in the eyes of the world, but is also splitting Israeli society. It is retarding its development and sowing violence and hatred within it, according to the same Israeli sources.

With this in mind, should Mr. Sharon reconsider his anti-peace policies and practices. The occupiers, who live in glass settlements should neither throw stones at others nor dictate conditions. The occupiers have to state in public a genuine sincere desire as to acknowledge the so far achieved results and continue rational and wise talks.

BY

 Mohammad Abdo Al-Ibrahim

Abdo88@ureach.com

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