Israel settlers row at crisis point

[Englander]

Chris McGreal in Jerusalem
Monday October 25, 2004
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,1335325,00.html


>>Israel's parliament will today begin debating bitterly opposed legislation to remove Jewish settlers from the Gaza Strip next year ahead of a vote that could force a major realignment of Israeli politics.

>>Thousands of settlers and their supporters plan to lay siege to parliament in an attempt to block a vote on the bill tomorrow that Ariel Sharon is likely to win but which is expected to split his party and force him to rely on the support of the opposition.

>> Shimon Peres, the Labour leader, said the vote will be one of the strangest in Israel's history. "The main opposition party in its entirety will support the prime minister's policy whereas the prime minister's party will split in the vote and about half the members will vote against the prime minister," he said.

>>Government lawyers have told the administration that pulling the settlers and troops out of the Gaza Strip will not relieve it of its legal responsibilities as an occupying power. The assessment, submitted to the national security council, also warns that foreign governments will not recognise the withdrawal as an end to the occupation because Israel will continue to control the airspace over the Gaza Strip and its border with Egypt.<<

[AlamoDemoc]

1. how many more Palestinian and Iraqis

have died in the ME since you posted this article, I wonder?

[Englander]

2. Well,there'll be a high body count.....

next week ,when the flattening of Falluja begins.


btw,who's that in your avatar?I don't recognise him.

[Matilda]

3. The sting is in your last paragraph:

Israel will still be the occupying power, will still stage raids
and bulldoze houses, and nothing will change.