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Olmert's Election Promise: Most of West Bank Will Go By John Waage CBN News Sr. Analyst
CBN.com – JERUSALEM, Israel - A bold statement comes from Israel's acting prime minister.
Ehud Olmert, who took over when Ariel Sharon suffered a stroke, says his party will give up most of the West Bank to the Palestinians if his party wins next month's elections.
That means thousands of more Jews could be evicted from the West Bank, the biblical lands of Judea and Samaria.
In his first broadcast interview as head of the government, Olmert told Israel's Channel Two that he plans to move his country toward separation from the Palestinians.
Last month, the Palestinians chose Hamas, a group dedicated to Israel’s destruction, to run their government. That dimmed the chances for any agreement with Israel.
Under Olmert's plan, Israel would leave most of Judea and Samaria to the Palestinians, except for the city of Jerusalem and three major settlement blocks: Ma'ale Adumim, east of Jerusalem; Gush Etzion, south of the capitol; and Ariel in Samaria.
Israel would also control the strategic Jordan River Valley.
Nearly 250, 000 Jews now live in Judea and Samaria. Olmert's plan would keep three-quarters of them in Israel. But that leaves nearly 60, 000 Jews who would be forced from their West Bank homes.
Last week, Israelis watched a painful preview of what a West Bank evacuation might look like, when thousands of Israeli security forces clashed with Jewish residents in the tiny settlement of Amona. Three members of Israel’s parliament were among the injured.
Despite the agonizing scenes of Jews fighting Jews, Olmert’s Kadima Party is riding high in the polls, making it likely that he will pursue his plan to redefine Israel’s borders.
Posts: 58 | Registered: Dec 2005
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Thats a wise move on his part. If you give the Palestinians 75% of the west bank and gaza and continue to build the wall you have what amounts to a forced peace. If the violence continues you can simply cut off access to Israel from Palestine and at least create a measuree of stability. Israel is small enough for this plan to work.
Posts: 5822 | From: USA | Registered: Jan 2004
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