Ariel Sharon says he can bring unity, peace to Israel

From CNN Producer Beth Lewandowski

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Ariel Sharon, the front-runner to be Israel's next prime minister, said Wednesday he "is the one man who can bring both peace and unity" to Israel.

A military hero who has fought in all of Israel's wars, Sharon is known for his hard-line stance against terrorism and against compromise with Palestinians and his Arab neighbors. But he struck a tone of conciliation in remarks Wednesday to the U.S.-based Council on Foreign Relations.

In a video conference from Tel Aviv, Sharon reiterated his desire for peace with the Palestinians. But he said it must be "a more realistic peace that provides security." Sharon said that both sides should strive for a state of "non-belligerency" before lasting peace can be attained.

Sharon, who is leader of the Likud movement, also promised to create a government of "national unity" if he is elected prime minister. He said he would immediately ask the Labor Party -- the party of his political rival and current Prime Minister Ehud Barak -- to join this government. He also called for an end to "extremist" remarks from all sides of the Israeli political spectrum.

GALLERY Timeline gallery: Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon    RESOURCES In-Depth: Israel Election 2001    MESSAGE BOARD Mideast Peace    TIMELINES Recent acts of violence in the Middle East:  •  Bombings  •  Activist deaths    ALSO Israelis, Palestinians to resume talks Thursday

Sharon, who led Barak in recent public opinion polling leading up to the February 6 election, said he believed that the majority of Palestinians want to live in Israel as equal partners and that "we must take certain steps that will make the Palestinian life easier."

He said that it was crucial that economic and cultural inter-dependency between the two sides develop as a condition to lasting peace. He also said he was already engaging in "secret negotiations" with representatives of the Palestinian Authority, and denied that these talks were with members of the Intifada or Hamas terrorist groups.

However, Sharon stopped short of supporting the Oslo peace accords or current Barak in his peace negotiations with the Palestinian Authority.

He outlined principals of a plan for peace he could accept, including:

  • No negotiation under fire, saying Israelis should absolutely refuse to negotiate with the Palestinian Authority unless they stop their support of terrorists;

  • Jerusalem must stay united under Israeli sovereignty as the only way to ensure access to holy places;

  • No negotiation on the Palestinian call for Israel to acknowledge a "right of return" for Palestinian refugees living in other Arab countries.

Sharon said that acknowledging a Palestinian "right of return" would be the beginning of the end for the Israeli democratic state. He said that, while it was a tragedy that some Palestinians were deported and/or resettled against their will in other Arab countries, he noted that one million Jews from Arab-speaking countries were also forced to resettle in Israel during the first years of Israeli independence.

He also noted that Israel should and would be prepared to help solve "individual cases" of Arab families who were divided by resettlement, and could help in the permanent resettlement efforts of Palestinians in Jordan, Lebanon and other Arab countries.

Israel's Barak braces for vote on new elections
November 28, 2000

Knesset, The Israeli Parliament
Likud
Meretz Party (In Hebrew)
Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Israel Defense Forces

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