NEW
YORK, May 23, 2005 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) –
Addressing American Jewish leaders, Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon
insisted there would be no negotiations with the Palestinians on the
status of occupied Jerusalem, no return of Palestinian refugees, nor
would be a return to the 1967 borders, all key points in the roadmap
for peace in the Middle East.
“I
will never negotiate on Jerusalem,” hawkish Sharon said Sunday May,
22, to a standing ovation from more than a thousand Jewish leaders and
activists at Baruch College in Manhattan, reported Haaretz.
He
said Israel would never “make any compromises - not now and not in
the future,” about its security, asserting that Israel would keep
control of large settlement blocs in other parts of the occupied West
Bank, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Sharon
also ruled out a full return of territory captured and occupied in the
1967 Middle East War and deemed occupied by all international
resolutions.
The
hawkish premier further insisted there “would be no entry of
Palestinian refugees into Israel”, another key issue left for final
status negotiations under the US-sponsored roadmap.
The
only roadmap obligation he agreed to was the need for the Palestinian
Authority to disarms “militant groups”.
Sharon
went on: “Without quiet, it will be impossible to move forward in
the peace process”.
Protests
Sharon
said the planned withdrawal from Gaza Strip would preserve Israel's
character as “a Jewish democracy” and make Israel stronger.
“This
plan will improve our security and offer a chance to start a political
process with the Palestinians,” he said.
“It
will guarantee a Jewish majority in the state of Israel.”
As
he spoke, several protesters scattered throughout the crowd stood up,
with one shouting, “Jews don't expel Jews”.
Sharon
continued to speak, but the interruption grew louder, and he had to
pause as protesters were escorted out of the Manhattan auditorium.
He
then received a warm ovation from the crowd, overwhelmingly favored
his plan to remove all 21 Jewish settlements in Gaza Strip and
withdraw from four small settlements in the West Bank.
Most
American Jewish groups favor the plan and 25 organizations, including
the American Jewish Committee and the American Jewish Congress,
proclaimed their support in a full-page advertisement in Sunday's New
York Times.
Polls
show around 65 percent of American Jews supporting the withdrawal from
Gaza Strip.
Sharon
is currently on a three-day visit to the US to bolster ties with
American Jews, and to discuss domestic issues such as the
Gaza plan.
Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas was scheduled to arrive in Washington Tuesday,
May 25. He is to meet with President George Bush on Thursday, May 27.
