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Settlers shocked removing outposts Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L02174480.htm http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L02174480.htm 02 Jun 2003 08:22:37 GMT Israel to commit to removing some settler outposts -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Gwen Ackerman JERUSALEM, June 2 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is to announce plans to uproot some rogue Jewish settler outposts at a summit with his Palestinian counterpart and U.S. President George W. Bush, a diplomatic source said on Monday. Israeli readiness to begin removing West Bank outposts, coming on the heels of promises from Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas to rein in militant violence, could help smooth the way for Wednesday's landmark peace talks in Aqaba, Jordan. But Palestinian cabinet minister Yasser Abed Rabbo dismissed Sharon's plan as "manoeuvres and lies". He said it fell short of requirements of a U.S.-backed peace "road map" for the removal of all settler enclaves since March 2001. The international community considers Israeli settlements in the occupied territories illegal. Israel disputes this. Bush called the summit to push forward the peace plan. It calls for an end to 32 months of violence, a freeze on settlement building on land seized by Israel in 1967, and creation of a Palestinian state by 2005. U.S. envoys have been meeting with Israeli and Palestinian leaders since Friday to hammer out a statement that would reflect their mutual commitment to implementing the road map. Under U.S. pressure for goodwill gestures to the Palestinians, Sharon told his cabinet on Sunday he would declare his willingness to dismantle some of the outposts set up since March 2001, the Israeli diplomatic source said. The new enclaves consist mostly of small clusters of caravans placed on hilltops near established settlements. Peace Now, a group that monitors settlement building, says there are more than 50 such outposts, but Israeli Deputy Defence Minister Zeev Boim estimated on Army Radio that the government would probably only declare about 10 "illegal". Sharon appeared in no rush to curtail construction in the nearly 150 established settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which were seized by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war. SETTLERS STUNNED Sharon's announcement to the 23 ministers sparked talk that at least one right-wing coalition partner, the National Religious Party, with close ties to the settler movement, might bolt the government. It holds two cabinet seats. Jewish settlers, shocked by what seems an about-face by Sharon, a longtime champion of settlement building on occupied land, have pledged to oppose the road map. "If they want to evacuate me, they will have to drag me off," Jewish settler Shimon Riklin told Israeli television. As both leaderships jockeyed for position ahead of the summit, Abbas said over the weekend he expected to obtain within 20 days an agreement with militants spearheading a Palestinian uprising against occupation to halt attacks on Israelis. Israel has said such a truce would be acceptable as a preliminary step that must be followed by Palestinian moves to disarm and dismantle militant groups. Israel announced on Sunday it had eased military closures on the West Bank and Gaza Strip. But Palestinians said there had been no real moves to lift travel restrictions imposed on the territories in May after a wave of suicide bombings. (Additional reporting by Mohammed Assadi in Ramallah)

Jewish settlers vow defend outposts Most settlers would leave for peace Settler outposts defy road map Settlers shocked removing outposts Settlers would leave if paid { July 23 2003 } Sharon backs 95m settlers plan Sharon rules out dismantling settlements { May 13 2003 } Sharon says keep building outposts Sharon says occupation must end { May 27 2003 } Files Listed: 9

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