GNS NEW Israeli PM gives speech on Mideast peace plan

Описание: (21 Dec 2003)

POOL
Herzliya, Israel - 18 December 2003
1. Speaker announces Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to podium
2. Woman in audience
3. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew): Ariel Sharon, Israeli Prime Minister:
"I take this opportunity to appeal to the Palestinians and repeat, as I said in Aqaba, it is not in our interest to govern you. We would like you to govern yourselves in your own country. A democratic Palestinian state with territorial contiguity in Judea and Samaria and economic viability
which would conduct normal relations of tranquility, security and peace with Israel. Abandon the path of terror and let us together stop the
bloodshed. Let us move forward together towards peace. We wish to speedily advance implementation of the 'road map' towards quiet and a genuine peace. We hope that the Palestinian Authority will carry out its part. However, if in a few months the Palestinians still continue to disregard their part in implementing the 'road map', then Israel will initiate the unilateral security step of disengagement from the Palestinians. The purpose of the Disengagement Plan is to reduce terror as much as possible and grant Israeli citizens the maximum level of security. The process of disengagement will lead to an improvement in the quality of life and will help strengthen the Israeli economy. The unilateral steps which Israel will take in the framework of the Disengagement Plan will be fully coordinated with the United States."

APTN FILE
Recent
4. Various aerials of West Bank separation fence

POOL
Herzliya, Israel - 18 December 2003
5. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew): Ariel Sharon, Israeli Prime Minister:
"The Disengagement Plan is meant to grant maximum security and minimise friction between the Israelis and Palestinians. We are interested in
conducting direct negotiations but do not intend to hold Israeli society hostage in the hands of the Palestinians. I have already said - we will
not wait indefinitely."
6. Audience
7. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew): Ariel Sharon, Israeli Prime Minister:
"The State of Israel is governed by law and the issue of outposts is no exception. I understand the sensitivity - we will try to do this in the
least painful way possible but the unauthorised outposts will be dismantled. Period. Israel will meet all its obligations with regard to construction in the settlements. There will be no construction beyond the existing construction line, no expropriation of land for construction, no special
economic incentives and no construction of new settlements. "

APTN
Migron, north of Jerusalem, West Bank - 18 December, 2003
8. Settlements with Israeli flags flying

STORYLINE:

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Thursday that Israel will take unilateral steps to establish a makeshift border, including relocating Jewish settlements, if Palestinians do not live up to their obligations under a stalled peace plan.

Israel would also speed up construction of a contentious security barrier that dips deep into the West Bank and would use it as part of new security
lines with the Palestinians intended to make it easier for Israel to defend itself, he said.

"This reduction of friction will require the extremely difficult step of changing the deployment of some of the settlements," he said, without naming
the settlements that would be moved.

Sharon's declaration came as his government faced intense pressure to take action to end three years of violence with the Palestinians that has left
many Israelis living in fear and has badly damaged the economy. His popularity has plummeted in recent months.

violence and lead to peace.














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