Sharon warns of unilateral steps
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Sharon says Israel will implement a disengagement plan if Palestinians do not take steps to fight terrorism.
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In a major policy speech, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon says that Israel may have to disengage itself from the Palestinians.
Troubling times for settlers who see signs Israel maybe set for a West Bank withdrawal.
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HERZLIYA, Israel (CNN) -- Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has warned that Israel may take unilateral steps to "sever its links" with Palestinians if they do not meet their responsibilities under the U.S.-backed road map for peace.
Speaking on Thursday at a security conference in Herzliya, Sharon said Israel could not wait any longer for terrorism to stop nor could it wait to negotiate with the Palestinians.
"We do not intend to simply provide Israeli society as a kind of hostage to Palestinians. We will not wait forever for them," Sharon said.
The Palestinians have just months to meet their responsibilities under the U.S.-backed road map -- which calls for a sequence of steps leading to an independent Palestinian state by 2005 -- otherwise Israel would begin to separate itself from the Palestinians, Sharon warned.
The "disengagement" plan would include moving some Israeli settlements, drawing new security lines and altering the deployment of Israeli forces, Sharon said, adding it would not create a final border.
While Israel would still move on the road map, Sharon warned that Palestinians would get substantially less under the "disengagement" plan than if they had negotiated through the road map.
The unilateral "disengagement" would be aimed at reducing terrorism and increasing security for Israelis while creating "minimum friction" with Palestinians.
Under disengagement, "the number of Israelis in the midst of the Palestinian population will be reduced to a minimum," he said.
"Those communities that will be relocated will in any future arrangement and settlement not be included in Israeli territory."
'Willing partner'
Palestinian and U.S. officials have expressed concerns about the idea of Israel taking unilateral steps rather than strictly following the road map, and Sharon's announcement drew swift criticism from Palestinian leaders.
Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat told CNN Israel should stick to the procedures in the road map, saying if it does, it will find a willing partner on the Palestinian side.
"The road of dictation is a unilateral road -- and that's what this Israeli government has done since March 2001," he said.
"If Mr. Sharon is willing to come back to the negotiating table ... we are surely prepared to go back immediately," he said.
"But you have to tell the Israelis he has to stop all settlement activities ... (and) dismantle all outposts."
Sharon avoided acknowledging in the speech that an end to Israel's occupation of territories seized in the 1967 war is a key step toward ultimately achieving peace, Erakat added.
'Not spare any effort'
In his speech, Sharon said Israel remains fully committed to the road map. "It is vital to take every single step we can to lead to the settlement of differences with the Palestinians," he said.
"We are prepared to forge on with implementing it. ... The government will not spare any effort to put the plan into practice ... if the Palestinians do their part -- that is, to see the ousting of every single phenomenon of terrorism, because terrorism and peace do not go hand in hand."
White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the United States was pleased to hear Sharon's "strong reiteration of the road map as the way forward."
Without specifically criticizing the possible "disengagement procedure," McClellan said, "We would oppose any unilateral steps that block the road toward negotiations under the road map that lead to the two-state vision."
The road map, he said, is "the best way to achieve peace."
Sharon said Israel is trying to reduce the suffering of Palestinians in the hopes of advancing the road to peace.
Israel is working to improve transport for people as well as goods to increase commercial ties, he said, "steps designed to ensure better the possibility of the Palestinian population not being involved in terrorism."
Israel will "hand over Palestinian towns and cities to Palestinian security responsibility," he said.
"I pledged to the president of the United States that Israel will dismantle illegal outposts, and I do intend to this." Also, "we will not be confiscating any land for construction purposes."
Saying he wanted to address Palestinians, Sharon said, "We have no interest in controlling you. We are interested in you running your own lives, your own state -- a democratic Palestinian state with territorial contiguity in the West Bank and with an economic logic for tranquility, security, and peace with Israel.
"Abandon the path of terrorism and let us jointly put an end to this bloodletting."
Settler spokeswoman Eve Harow told CNN that Sharon's speech -- and his willingness to unilaterally uproot Jewish settlements -- shows "the terrorists have won -- they have broken the prime minister."
