A top Palestinian official warned the United States yesterday that Israel’s planned unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip would leave the door open for terrorists and lead to further conflict.
“We may have no more than another month to stop the situation from spreading into long-term conflict,” said Hassan Abu Libdeh, chief of staff in the office of the Palestinian prime minister.
Mr. Libdeh told a weekend conference that the plan to leave Gaza unilaterally without a coordinated security plan between the two sides would be like throwing the key to the area into the air for terrorist groups to catch.
“We will see who grabs the key when you throw it,” Mr. Libdeh told guests of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. “But we are shorter, much shorter.”
Despite strong settler resistance and their calls for a national referendum on the pullout, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has said he will move ahead with the plan. The move, he insists, will boost Israel’s security after four years of a violent Palestinian uprising or “intifada.”
Israeli Housing Minister Tzipi Livni told the same gathering that the plan to unilaterally disengage from Gaza was intended “not to stop any kind of political process, but to make a window of opportunity while the Palestinians are doing nothing to reform.”
Once the withdrawal is complete, she said, both sides again could pick up the U.S.-backed “road map” peace plan.
“We wanted to change the assumption and send a message to the Palestinians that terror does not pay and time is working against those who use force,” Miss Livni said. “The United States is in total understanding.”
Indeed, a senior foreign policy adviser to Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry said at the conference that a Kerry administration would stand unambiguously with the Israelis.
“America’s commitment to Israel is unshakable,” said Wendy Sherman. “We do take sides in this conflict, and we are not embarrassed to say so. … No one should be under the illusion that they can drive a wedge between us.”
Mr. Libdeh said he hoped the statement did not reflect the views of Mr. Kerry.
“This is very much a non-starter. America cannot be an honest broker without being neutral. Taking sides means they are no longer fit for the role of broker,” he said.
Instead, Mr. Libdeh called for an “active, balanced and effective U.S. involvement” at all times.
“We need an external voice. We cannot do it on our own. The U.S. administration is very much qualified to play this role,” he said.
Mr. Sharon has angered Israeli settlers, once his most ardent supporters, with his disengagement plan, although opinion polls show that a solid majority of Israelis support the scheme.
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