Israel orders dismantling of four settlements
Israeli soldiers killed three Palestinians near a Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip today, and the government ordered the evacuation of four settlement outposts in the West Bank, Israeli media reported.
In the Gaza incident, Israel Radio said three armed Palestinians approached the isolated settlement of Netzarim, south west of Gaza City, late today. Israeli tanks opened fire at them and killed them. The military had no immediate comment.
Earlier today, Israeli radio and TV stations reported that the government ordered the removal of four outposts among the dozens Israel is required to take down under the “road map” peace plan.
Israel Radio reported that only one of the four, Ginnot Arieh next to the settlement of Ofra, north of Jerusalem, is populated. Ten families live there.
The four outposts are scattered around the West Bank and include one that had been removed before, but settlers rebuilt it. The largest of the outposts - Migron, with 43 families, near the West Bank city of Ramallah – is not on the list, according to the report.
The road map is a three-stage blueprint for ending three years of Palestinian-Israeli violence and establishing a Palestinian state in 2005. US President George W. Bush launched the effort in June, but talks have broken down amid violence and internal political problems on both sides.
In its first stage, the plan calls for “dismantlement” of violent Palestinian groups and removal of outposts put up since March 2001, along with a freeze in construction in veteran settlements. Neither side has fulfilled those commitments, though Israel claims it has removed around 40 outposts – most of them dummy settlements consisting of an empty trailer or bus skeleton.
The TV report said settlers at the outposts would be given 10 days to appeal the orders in the courts.
Before leaving the West Bank for a visit to Saudi Arabia today, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia said he was hoping to persuade Riyadh to become more involved in the peace efforts and to step up its financial support for the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority.
In 2002, Saudi Arabia presented its own proposal for Middle East peace that was partially incorporated into the road map.
The visit will be Mr Qureia’s first to the Gulf region since he became Prime Minister in October.
“I will ask (Saudi Arabia) to play a role with the international community to pressure the Israelis to implement the road map,” he said.
Palestinian foreign minister Nabil Shaath said the Palestinians would ask the Saudis for help in “encouraging Gulf states to support us financially”.
The Palestinian economy has been badly harmed by more than three years of violence, and more than 60% of the Palestinian Authority budget is supplied by international donors.
Today, Israelis Prime Minister Ariel Sharon appointed a prominent military officer to head a team planning unilateral steps if talks on the road map remain frozen.
Major General Giora Eiland will direct a task force with representatives from the defence, foreign and justice Ministries as well as the military and security services, a government statement said.
The idea of unilateral Israeli measures has drawn stiff Palestinian and US criticism. Both insist that arrangements like borders must be reached through negotiations.
While Mr Sharon has indicated that he would order removal of some Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip under the measures he is considering, the dividing line between Israeli and Palestinian-controlled territory would leave Israel in control of large areas of land the Palestinians claim for a state.
