The Israeli government on Sunday for the first time accepted the removal of some Jewish settlements from the occupied Palestinian territories.
The historic Cabinet vote, on the 37th anniversary of the start of the Six Day war that began the occupation, paves the way for Ariel Sharon to fulfil a pledge to dismantle all settlements in Gaza by the end of next year and remove four isolated ones in the West Bank as part of his plan for ”unilateral disengagement” from the Palestinians.
”Disengagement is on the way,” the prime minister said on Sunday night. ”The government has decided that by the end of 2005 Israel will leave Gaza and four settlements in Samaria [the West Bank].
”Most people understand that this decision ensures Israel’s future. Today’s decision gives hope to everyone.”
The deputy prime minister, Ehud Olmert, described it as a ”historic turning point in the policy of the state of Israel”.
But the decision, by 14 votes to seven, threatened to unravel the government in its present form. MPs of the pro-settler National Religious party, which provides Sharon with a majority in parliament, are to meet today to decide whether to pull out of the ruling coalition.
The Cabinet did not go so far as Sharon originally intended as he sought to hold his government and party together, under pressure from ministers wishing him to abide by a referendum of Likud party members who vetoed the removal of settlers.
Sunday’s vote authorises the government to begin preparations to dismantle the settlements. Under a deal with his arch-rival, Binyamin Netanyahu, the prime minister agreed that Cabinet approval will be required before the removals begin.
The housing minister, Effie Eitam, who voted against yesterday’s decision, said whatever concessions were wrung from Sharon the end result was that the settlers would be removed from Gaza.
”No laundering of words can bleach one of the blackest decisions ever taken by an Israeli government, which means expulsion of thousands of residents and the creation of a Hamas terror state,” he said.
The prime minister also agreed to continued funding of infrastructure in the affected settlements, such as schools, and that all homes and sensitive buildings, such as synagogues, will be destroyed rather than handed over to Palestinians.
Although the cabinet decision did not set a timetable for the removal of settlements, Sharon was forced to agree to make a public statement announcing that the process would begin by next March.
At times the political battle descended into farce on Sunday. Benny Elon of the extremist National Union party, one of two ministers sacked by Sharon to secure a cabinet majority, had refused to accept his letter of dismissal on Friday by hiding in a settlement.
As Elon arrived to attend the Cabinet meeting, the high court asked Sharon to postpone a vote on the pullout until it had ruled on petitions challenging the two dismissals.
Sharon refused to delay the debate and the court eventually upheld the sackings.
Avigdor Lieberman, who was also fired, described the plan as ”tantamount to ethnic cleansing of Jews”.
While Sharon has the bulk of Israeli voters behind him, there are differences of opinion as to where the decision will lead Israel.
Many of the prime minister’s leftwing critics believe he intends to withdraw from Gaza so that he can annex large parts of the West Bank to Israel and confine a Palestinian state to a series of cantons.
Others see the pullout as a start of a process that will inevitably lead to Israel’s withdrawal from almost all of the occupied territories, and force a resumption of negotiations with the Palestinians.
The Cabinet decision drew fire from within Likud, with some members saying they may back far-right parties that have asked for a confidence vote on the government in parliament next week. – Guardian Unlimited Â