Sharon Outlines Israel’s Exit Strategy

Main points of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s “disengagement” plan, as published in Israeli newspapers Friday:

Overall: Israel believes the current Palestinian leadership is not a partner for peace talks. Negotiations with the Palestinians can resume once they renounce violence and carry out institutional reforms. Israel will withdraw from the Gaza Strip and four West Bank settlements by the end of 2005. The text says Israel “will aspire to leave standing the real estate assets of the settlements” it evacuates. However, a senior Israeli official said Israel would not accept the houses being given to families of Palestinian militants or to Palestinian leaders.

Gaza Strip: Israel will remove all Israeli settlers and troops from the Gaza Strip, but will continue patrolling a security strip along the Gaza-Egypt border and may even widen that patrol road. After the withdrawal, Israel will no longer consider itself responsible for the Palestinian residents of Gaza. Israel will continue to control all border crossings and Gaza airspace, and will patrol off the Gaza coast. Israel will not permit a “foreign security presence” in the Gaza Strip but will welcome international humanitarian assistance there.

West Bank: Israel will withdraw from four settlements in the northern West Bank -- Ganim, Kadim, Sanur and Homesh -- and will remove all roadblocks from that area. The Israeli military will abandon permanent military installations in that area. Across the West Bank, Israel promises to consider easing travel for Palestinians. Israel will continue to build its separation barrier in the West Bank.