Hamas: Olmert's border plan is declaration of war

Last update - 18:44 10/03/2006
Hamas: Olmert's border plan is declaration of war
By Aluf Benn and Yossi Verter, Haaretz Correspondents, and Haaretz Service

Khaled Meshal, the head of Hamas' political bureau, views Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's plan to shape Israel's permanent borders as a declaration of war on the Palestinian people, the French news agency AFP reported Friday.

...Meshal said Olmert's plan is not a peace plan, but constitutes "unilateral moves that will allow Israel to remain in most of the West Bank through construction of the fence, leaving in its hands the settlements and Jerusalem and rejecting the right of return," according to the report. Meshal was quoted as saying that "Olmert is repeating Sharon's mistakes."

Olmert's plan slammed
Israeli politicians from both the right and left also criticized Olmert on Friday and spurned unilateral action.

..."Olmert's withdrawal plan is the most extreme leftist plan that has ever been presented to the Israeli public," MK Gideon Sa'ar said Friday. "What Barak offered at Camp David, in exchange for a permanent agrement and the end of the conflict, Olmert is planning to give without getting anything in exchange and with no agrement."

Olmert will attempt to garner domestic and international support for shaping Israel's permanent border with the Palestinians. He wants to make sure Israel holds on to Ariel, Ma'aleh Adumim, the Jerusalem envelope and Gush Etzion; establish the Jordan Valley as a security border and provide the Israel Defense Forces with freedom of action in the West Bank, similar to the post-disengagement situation in the Gaza Strip.

Olmert also promises to build up the E-1 area linking Jerusalem and Ma'aleh Adumim. The plan was frozen last year due to American opposition, but according to Olmert, Israelis agree there should be contiguity, while the Palestinians and Americans recognize there will be.

"It is completely clear that the contiguity between Jerusalem and Ma'aleh Adumim will be built up," said Olmert. "This is clear both to the Palestinians and to the U.S. In my opinion, on this matter there is a full consensus in Israel."

"Whoever proposes building up E-1 is essentially preventing a permanent Israeli-Palestinian agreement," Beilin told Israel Radio. "Whoever builds up E-1 is preventing a contiguous Palestinian state."