HERZLIYA, Israel, Dec. 18 (JTA) — The following are the main points of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon´s speech at the Herzliya conference: The "road map" peace plan is the only political plan accepted by Israel, the Palestinians, the United States and a majority of the international community.
Peace will not somehow lead to security; security will lead to peace. Any attempt to make peace without first ensuring security is doomed to fail.
It is incumbent upon the Palestinians to uproot terrorist groups and create a law-abiding society that fights violence and incitement.
Israel is taking steps to improve the living conditions of the Palestinian population and is prepared to transfer Palestinian towns to Palestinian security responsibility.
Unauthorized Israeli settlement outposts in the West Bank will be dismantled. In addition, there will be no construction of settlements beyond their existing boundaries, no expropriation of land for further construction, no special economic incentives and no construction of new settlements.
If the Palestinians do not begin actively fighting terrorism in the next few months, then Israel will begin disengaging from the Palestinians unilaterally. Such steps will be taken in coordination with the United States.
The "disengagement plan" will include the redeployment of the Israel Defense Forces along new security lines and a change in the location of some settlements.
The relocation of settlements will be determined in order to draw the most effective security line possible, but this security line will not constitute the permanent border of the State of Israel. Settlements to be relocated are those that will not be included in the territory of the State of Israel in the framework of any possible future permanent agreement. At the same time, Israel will strengthen its control over areas that it intends to include as part of the state in any future agreement.
Israel will greatly accelerate the construction of the security fence.
The Palestinians will receive much less through the disengagement plan than they would have received through direct negotiations, but the disengagement plan does not prevent the possibility of returning to the road map. It is possible that parts of the disengagement plan will be undertaken while also attempting to implement the road map.
Whether advancing the road map or implementing the disengagement plan, Israel must strive to preserve its national unity.
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