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Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon outlined for the first time his idea of a future Palestinian state covering less than half of the West Bank, as Israeli troops continued their daily incursions and sweeps for wanted militants yesterday.
"Within the framework set by President (George W.) Bush, Israel will accept the creation of a Palestinian state within non-definitive borders, which correspond to Zones A and B under Palestinian administration," Sharon said on Wednesday night.
With legislative elections less than two months away, Sharon continued the tactic which led him to a crushing victory against hawkish Foreign Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Likud primaries a week ago.
The former general's critics noted that he endorsed US President George W. Bush's "vision," which calls for Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's ouster, and not the latest "road map" draft, which calls for an unequivocal Israeli commitment to an independent state and demands an end to Israeli settlement activity.
Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat bluntly rejected Sharon's proposal, which would also give Palestinians three quarters of the Gaza Strip, saying: "Palestinians want peace, but not at any price."
Amram Mitzna, who swept to the head of the Labour party by calling for a definitive state by 2005 and promising to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and dismantle isolated settlements in the West Bank, sneered at Sharon's proposal which he described as "electoral slogans."
Other parties also criticized Sharon's statement. "Ariel Sharon did not speak of dismantling settlements in the West Bank or Gaza Strip, or of real withdrawal from the Palestinian territories," left-wing Meretz member Ran Cohen said.
(Xinhua News Agency December 5, 2002)
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