Israeli President Moshe Katsav expressed support Monday for unilateral separation between Israel and the Occupied Territories, under a plan that would apparently involve Israel continuing to occupy large areas of land seized in 1967.
Katsav was quoted by Haaretz as saying that Israel had "no choice" but to adopt the separation option, which “has won growing political and public support in recent months as Israelis have increasingly despaired at the possibility of reaching a negotiated settlement with the Palestinians.”
Katsav, who spoke on Israel Radio, said Israel was essentially facing three options: "The first is continuing the present situation which is unbearable, the continuation of terror, of bloodshed," he said.
"Another path is diplomatic negotiations, which seems impossible. Yasser Arafat is simply not interested in renewing diplomatic negotiations. He apparently is pinning everything on escalation. And the third possibility is to launch a military attack ... In any case the use of military force cannot (completely) solve the problem of terror."
Katsav said that the line of unilateral separation would be drawn in Area C - those areas in the Occupied Territories still under full Israeli control - and that the aim was to enhance security.
The move, he said, was a military one, and the unilateral "border" had no political significance.
A final border, he said, would ultimately be determined when the two sides returned to the negotiating table, and that it would be farther west than the unilateral line. "I'm not speaking of a final agreed border," he said. "That will be reached when the diplomatic negotiations are renewed, but to my regret that isn't about to happen in the coming months."
"In the meantime, he said, "if terror continues for a long time, we will be better deployed to defend Israeli citizens and protect our national interests."
Katsav pointed out that he was not speaking of a diplomatic separation, but rather a military one. "I am speaking of a military separation in order to better defend Israeli civilians," he said.
Four Knesset members have been active in a campaign aimed at rallying support for the plan, which is not on the present government agenda.
They have been talking to reserve officers about the outlines of the plan, as well as with politicians and the media – Albawaba.com
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