Sharon Pledges to Remove Settler Outposts

[Darranar]

http://asia.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=3128220

Sharon Pledges to Remove Settler Outposts
Mon July 21, 2003 04:19 PM ET
By Gwen Ackerman
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon pledged Monday to remove "illegal" settler outposts in the West Bank to meet a demand made in a U.S.-backed peace plan that also calls for a freeze on all settlement activity.

Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas are due to discuss the so-called road map in separate meetings with U.S. President George Bush in Washington next week.

In a statement to the Israeli parliament, which met during summer recess to discuss pressing issues, Sharon acknowledged intense international pressure to dismantle the sparsely inhabited hilltop outposts

[bemildred]

1. I noticed that little weasel word "illegal" in there.

Still, what could be bad?

[StandWatie]

3. it's just Sharon talking out both sides of his mouth

it's illegal because he didn't sign off on it, the rest are "legal".

It's kind of like when he used the word "occupation" and people fell all over themselves with how reasonable he was being but what he meant were the checkpoints and troops in the cities, not that Israel controling the West Bank and Gaza was an "occupation".

[bemildred]

6. Yeah, but it means he has his tit in a wringer about it.

That improves the quality of the show.
I want to see "the bulldozer" get bulldozed.

[Gimel]

13. Actually

he used the word "unauthorize". This is clear from Israeli news sources, which seem to be given the shat here. No Israeli sources on Israeli news means filtered through some other news service.

[ThorsteinVeblen]

2. Bwhahahahahahahahha

I will believe it when I see it.

"Illegal" according to whom - Israel or the International Community?

[Gimel]

14. Talking about "outposts' only

The settlements are another question.

[Violet_Crumble]

15. The settlements...

Are seen as illegal by the international community and they violate the Geneva Conventions. So there's no question about their legality, though of course Israel would argue that they're legal...

Violet...

[dfong63]

4. gee, how many years does that make it?

... that Sharon has been waffling on the "outposts". the real issue is not the illegal outposts but the illegal settlements. imho the outposts are just a smokescreen to make it look like Israel is compromising. sure, some compromise. they steal someone's wallet, then compromise by giving back a nickel. it's actually even worse than that, because the theft is ongoing. it's like their idea of a compromise is not to give back what they stole, but simply to promise to stop stealing. or maybe to hold talks about possibly promising to stop stealing.

[Darranar]

20. "outposts" "settlements"

Basically the same thing, except that now Sharon can invent a definition for outpost that he can use to justify the non-removal of settlements because they aren't "outposts."

I just hate some right-wingers...

[Darranar]

5. Seriosly...

The "illegal outposts" are a codename for a few settlements he wil dismantle and publicize greatly.

Not that the Palestinians are doing any better...

[bemildred]

7. You are all right.

:thumbsup:

Maybe things can still be worked out.

[Darranar]

8. Read it again...

I edited it. It says basically the same thing, but to avoid confusion, I withdraw my support for every comment, in case someone says something that I disagree with.

[bemildred]

9. I did.

I still don't have a problem with it.

[Darranar]

10. In that case...

I guess you are right. My opinions have moderated quite a bit from what they once were on this issue. Though not the only one, this forum was indeed a factor in that moderation.

[jos]

11. They're all illegal

Sharon is like Bush. They are both cynical and think the general public are a bunch of morons. Sharon thinks by taking down one shack somewhere he has made a great sacrifice for peace. He's not fooling anyone, least of all the Palestinians.

However, Sharon is a man of piece. A piece of the west bank here, a piece of gaza there . . . .

[Darranar]

12. I agree...

n/t

[CitizenDick]

16. Good one

"Sharon is a man of piece. A piece of the west bank here, a piece of gaza there" Good one.

The man wouldn't go back to the 1967 borders if you guaranteed him no more terror attacks and a half dozen donuts every morning for the rest of his life. He's interested in a 'greater' Israel.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

17. I find it hard to believe

I find it hard to believe that things will improve while Sharon is in power. But that can't be forever.

[Darranar]

19. They won't improve much...

Nor will things improve until the Palestinian terrorists are dealt with long enough for a Palestinian state to come into existence and rein them in themselves.

[Classical_Liberal]

18. Unless he stops building settlements I don't care

He shouldn't remove them anymore than he should remove Palestinians. The Settlers just have to decide whether they want to be Palestinians or not.