Discussion on Peace, Lebanon, and Iran With U.S. Senators
(May 2, 2005)
Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon met this afternoon with U.S. Senator Bill Frist (R-TN) and
U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-CT).
Prime Minister Sharon thanked the senators for their
friendship towards, and support for, Israel and said that he was pleased to meet them again after their recent meetings
in Washington. The Prime Minister thanked Senator Frist for the letter
he received from him in which the latter commended Israel’s assistance
in the Palestinian Authority (PA) elections and for the steps that Israel is taking to implement the disengagement.
Prime Minister Sharon said that Israel appreciates
the support that it receives from both houses of the U.S. Congress and
added that Israel would like to receive Congress’s blessing for
U.S. assistance towards the development of the Negev and the Galilee.
Prime Minister Sharon said that despite domestic difficulties,
he remains committed to implementing the Disengagement Plan and added
that it would be implemented on schedule: “This is a painful step
that Israel has yet to undertake. Feelings in Israel are harsh, there
are many demonstrations, there is great tension and there are various
attempts to oppose the move.”
Prime Minister Sharon said that since the election
of Abu Mazen a long series
of steps has been taken to help him in establishing and stabilizing
his rule and in order to win the support of the Palestinian street.
Israel has done this out of the sense that with Abu Mazen it is possible
to make progress. We helped him during Arafat’s funeral, we helped him hold proper PA elections, including the participation
of residents of eastern Jerusalem and we reached a series of understandings with him that led to the Sharm
el-Sheikh summit. Despite this, terrorism has not ceased and an IDF soldier was killed this morning.
Prime Minister Sharon added that he believes that Abu
Mazen’s path is incorrect and contravenes the Roadmap.
Instead of disbanding the terrorist organizations, he is acting to strengthen
them. He is not willing to fight them and is similarly unwilling to
disband their infrastructures. The Prime Minister said that while Abu
Mazen is taking steps to maintain the quiet, he is completely avoiding
taking significant steps to fight the terrorist organizations.
Prime Minister Sharon said that Israel wants to coordinate
the Disengagement Plan with the Palestinians and make certain that the
withdrawal from the Gaza Strip is coordinated, without terrorism, and that Israeli property is transferred
to the responsibility of the PA, which would use it to serve the welfare
of the Palestinian population. The Prime Minister said that he had charged
Vice Premier Shimon Peres with the responsibility of raising funds in order to assist Palestinian
economic recovery after the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The Prime
Minister added that significant talks on this issue had begun only recently.
On the Lebanese issue, Prime Minister Sharon said that after the May elections, it will
be important to increase stability and reduce the influence of Syria, Hezbollah and other foreign
elements, and emphasized that strengthening the Lebanese government
would lead to stability and the weakening of Syrian and Iranian influence
in Lebanon. The Prime Minister said that Hezbollah continues to pose
a threat and cause instability on the Israeli-Lebanese border. Hezbollah
is also strengthening its presence in the Gaza Strip and among Israeli
Arabs, and is encouraging acts of terrorism inside Israel in order to
end the “calm” and torpedo the diplomatic process. It is
also training and financing Palestinian terrorist organizations, mainly Fatah elements, and there
are plans to kidnap Israeli soldiers.
On the Iranian
issue, Prime Minister Sharon said that the most effective way of
dealing with the subject is to exhaust diplomatic channels and to create
a united international coalition in order to present a unified front
and move the issue to the UN Security
Council. The UN Security Council is the most effective way of applying
diplomatic pressure on Iran. Economic and social sanctions should be
placed on Iran in order to
pressure the regime. The Prime Minister said that if steps are not taken
soon, Iran will possess nuclear weapons and added that in order to advance
its nuclear program, Iran is playing for time in the context of its
long-term negotiations with Europe. The time for European-Iranian negotiations
must be limited since Iran is interested in using these negotiations
to legitimize its enrichment efforts, under guarantees and supervision,
and thus continue its program.
Sources: Prime Minister's Office |