Israeli council for peace calls for unilateral withdrawal
Israel-Palestine, Politics, 2/19/2002

Giving a powerful boost to the growing peace camp in Israel, the Council for Peace and Security has announced plans to launch a campaign calling for a unilateral Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and most of the West Bank, reports the Palestine Media Center.

The Council, a group of 1,000 top-level reserve generals, colonels, as well as intelligence officials, broke the news on February 17 after four months of internal heated debate.

According to the Israeli daily newspaper Ha'aretz, the Council's debate dealt with a number of fears, namely that a unilateral evacuation from the occupied Palestinian territory would be interpreted as "similar to the 'escape' from Lebanon."

Avoiding the term "separation," which the Council considers racist and reminiscent of apartheid, Council members finally decided to call for a unilateral Israeli withdrawal from the entire Gaza Strip, which would also include the dismantling of 50 illegal Israeli settlements there.

The Council's campaign, the first of its kind, would involve bumper stickers, public appearances and the distribution of a pamphlet entitled "Saying Shalom to the Palestinians." The Council decided to use the word "Shalom" in the pamphlet, using both its meanings in Hebrew; peace and goodbye. In addition, the bumper sticker the Council will use in the campaign, "Withdrawal for security, talks for peace" shall reinforce the idea that withdrawing from the occupied Palestinian territory would provide security for Israel while negotiations would ultimately result in peace.

Reserve Major General Danny Rothschild, president of the Council for Peace and Security, told Ha'aretz, "I went into the discussions without a firm opinion. But I was convinced by the contacts I have through back channels with Palestinians in recent months." The reserve officer also emphasized that a decisive factor for him was the emerging movement of Israeli soldiers and reserve officers refusing to serve in the occupied Palestinian territory, who now number 253 officers.

"This is not a 100 percent solution," Rothschild admitted to the press, says the PMC, which also quotes media reports as saying the Council has already come up with maps, proposing the shape and scope of the withdrawal but are still reluctant to share them with the public.

The Council for Peace and Security has already met with Israeli foreign minister Shimon Peres and former Israeli Justice Minister Yossi Beilin to discuss the plan. They will be meeting with Israeli President Moshe Katsav and former rightwing Israeli Prime Minister Bejamin Netanyahu in the near future.

Previous Stories:
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  Palestinian Intifada retaliates Israel's attacks   (2/18/2002)
  Israeli army commander killed in incursion operation north Toulkarem   (2/16/2002)
  Demonstrators in Tel Aviv protest occupation   (2/11/2002)
  Group of Israeli soldiers refuse to participate in oppression of Palestinians   (1/26/2002)

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