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Disengagement Illusions

(Ha'aretz) Nadav Shragai - The disengagement from Gush Katif will be perceived by the Palestinians as an Israeli escape, and will refill the sails of terror with wind. More densely populated areas in the south of the country will be exposed to long-range Palestinian weapons. Another terror region will open up in northern Samaria, and Israel will find it very difficult to preserve its intelligence and operational capabilities in the territories that are evacuated. Evacuating Gush Katif, it is claimed, will save the large settlement blocs in Judea and Samaria. The truth is the precise opposite. It won't take long after the evacuation of one of the most successful settlement areas in the country until the pressure on Israel to evacuate more "blocs" increases. The evacuation will grant legitimacy to the demand to evacuate more settlement blocs in Judea and Samaria. The argument that the U.S. promised to recognize the large settlement blocs in Judea and Samaria is a fable. Secretary of State Powell hurried to clarify that President Bush's letter does not a priori determine that settlement blocs will remain under Israeli control in the future. As for friendly statements by American presidents to Israel, Bill Clinton provided Ehud Barak with exactly the same merchandise that Bush is now giving.
2004-04-20 00:00:00
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