International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, December 19, 2003

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said on Thursday that Israel will move ahead in the next six months - with or without the Palestinians - and establish its own security by removing settlements and creating a new defense line.

"We wish to speedily advance implementation of the road map towards quiet and a genuine peace," he said. "We hope that the Palestinian Authority will carry out its part. However, if in a few months the Palestinians still continue to disregard their part in implementing the road map, Israel will initiate the unilateral security step of disengagement from the Palestinians."

Sharon’s address at the Israeli Institute for Policy and Strategy’s Herzliya Conference capped off many speakers and a gamut of opinions. His speech constituted a major policy definition for Israel’s continuing of the stalled peace process.

A negotiated deal on the road map, which calls for a Palestinian state by 2005, would be the best basis for a peace solution, Sharon said. He said his disengagement plan is only the second best option, and he would rather move forward along the road map. The plan calls for a peace settlement and a Palestinian state by 2005.

Sharon’s said that while Israel wants to continue negotiating, unless progress occurs Israel will go ahead with its own plans and will not be held hostage by the Palestinians.

"We will not wait forever," he said.

Sharon said that if the PA doesn't meet its commitments under the road map, Israel will be forced to take these steps and, "the Palestinians will receive much less than they would have received through direct negotiations as set out in the road map."

Without specifying which settlement would be evacuated, Sharon said communities would be removed in order "to draw the most efficient security line possible, thereby creating this disengagement between Israel and the Palestinians."

While this new security line would not constitute a permanent border, the army would be deployed along it as long as implementation of the road map is not resumed.

"Settlements which will be relocated are those which will not be included in the territory of the State of Israel in the framework of any possible future permanent agreement," he said.

He also intimated that certain areas beyond the Green Line will be annexed to Israel.

"In the framework of the disengagement plan, Israel will strengthen its control over those same areas in the Land of Israel which will constitute an inseparable part of the State of Israel in any future agreement," he said. "I know you would like to hear names, but we should leave something for later."

Sharon defined the goals of disengagement as reducing terrorism as much as possible and granting Israelis maximum security to improve the quality of life and strengthen the economy.

Sharon stressed that the unilateral steps will be fully coordinated with the US.

Sharon also pledged once again to take steps to significantly improve the living conditions of the Palestinian population, including removing closures and curfews and reducing the number of roadblocks; improving freedom of movement; and enabling a large number of Palestinian merchants to conduct regular and normal economic and trade relations with their Israeli counterparts.

Labor Party leader Shimon Peres hoped for more.

"Instead of a decision, we were handed another delay, and a delay that is not necessarily in our favor... Sharon is turning Israel into a hostage to Palestinian demography," Peres said.

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei said Sharon was "threatening" the Palestinians.

"This is not a prescription for peace, this is a prescription for more war and more attacks and more isolation and more segregation against the Palestinian people," Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Sha'ath said.

Hamas called Sharon's worthless.

"Sharon is asking Palestinians to raise white flags, to surrender," Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin told Reuters. "This is totally rejected by our people. We will not surrender."