Nazir Majally, Asharq Al-Awsat

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, 19 December 2003 — Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon issued an ultimatum to the Palestinians yesterday that Israel would start its own separation moves which would cost Palestinians land within months if a US-backed peace road map failed.

In a major policy speech, Sharon said Israel could start a “disengagement plan” even while efforts continued on the US-backed road map leading to a Palestinian state.

“If within a number of months the Palestinians will continue not carrying out their part of the road map, then Israel will initiate a unilateral security measure,” Sharon said. Israel’s justice minister said moves could start within three months.

Sharon warned Palestinians would end up with less land if Israel went its own way than if they followed the road map. Sharon said work on the wall would be speeded up.

He moved to quell US fears of go-it-alone moves by saying anything the Jewish state did would be in close coordination with its main ally.

However, the White House said the United States would oppose any move by Israel to impose a Middle East peace solution that falls outside the road map for peace.

“The United States believes that a settlement must be negotiated and we would oppose any Israeli effort to impose a settlement,” said White House spokesman Scott McClellan in reaction to the speech by Sharon.

But the administration welcomed a promise by Sharon to dismantle Jewish colonies in the territories.

“Unilateral steps can help the road map move forward if they are part of the road map. Israeli actions to remove outposts and settlements are part of the road map,” declared the spokesman.

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei said he was disappointed at his Israeli counterpart’s “threats” to disengage from the bilateral peace process and implement unilateral measures.

“I am disappointed that he is threatening the Palestinians by saying he wants to give a period about starting disengagement,” Qorei said at his offices on the outskirts of East Jerusalem.

“We are committed to the road map,” Qorei added. “We are committed to reach a permanent agreement and put an end to the conflict. We are ready for negotiations with Mr. Sharon. We can do it sooner than anybody can expect.”

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s top adviser Nabil Abu Rudeina said Sharon’s plans for “unilateral disengagement” from the Palestinians is “inapplicable”.

“Sharon’s declarations are in line with his ambiguous policies,” Abu Rudeina said.

“The disengagement that he is talking about should take place on a political and not a security basis and should conform to the 1967 borders. These declarations represent nothing new and amount to a rejection of the road map. The alternative proposed by Sharon is inapplicable.”

Emphasizing the unending cycle of violence, Israeli troops killed four Palestinians in a raid into Nablus.

Palestinians have welcomed Sharon’s hints at removing an unspecified number of isolated settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, but not the likelihood this would mean a selective pullback leaving them with a truncated, shrunken state.

The road map calls for a viable Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza by 2005 alongside a secure Israel. A senior political source close to Sharon said the point of unilateral steps would be to firm up Israeli security lines, not impose new borders.

— Additional input from agencies