House endorses White House position on Israel, Gaza pullout

[Gimel]

By The Associated Press



WASHINGTON - The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday joined President George W. Bush in backing Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to withdraw from all Gaza Strip settlements and confirming that a new Palestinian state, rather than Israel, should take in Palestinian refugees.

The resolution, passed 407-9 with three lawmakers voting present, states that Congress "strongly endorses" the principles laid down by Bush in an April 14 letter to Sharon, including that it was "unrealistic" to expect Israel to pull back to borders that existed before the 1967 Mideast war because of the large Jewish populations that have settled in contested areas.

Sharon has proposed withdrawing from all Gaza Strip settlements but retaining some West Bank enclaves.

The Bush letter, criticized by Palestinians demanding that all Jewish settlements be dismantled, also stated that a final status agreement on a Palestinian state must arrange for settling Palestinian refugees in that state, rather than in Israel.

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[tinnypriv]

1. "retaining some West Bank enclaves"

Outside of AP's Bizzaro World, the reality is that Sharon will move about 1,000 WB settlers (4 settlements), leaving over 250,000 in place (excluding East Jerusalem).

In other words, Sharon is retaining 99.6% of the WB "enclaves".

Yeah, "some" is the right term to use.

Fucking idiots.

[Gimel]

2. A dark view

The PA has to show good faith and ability to control the situation. No sense going whole hog from the start. It remains a very risky business.