Israel Matzav

Olmert to Call for Global Support Of Israel's West Bank Pullout Plan

Have any of you thought about what the cost of Ehud Olmert's convergence expulsion plan might be? Have any of you thought about who might be called upon to pay it? (Come on Americans, we all know that you have!). According to this article in the Wall Street Journal (Hat Tip: Yisrael in Shilo), the plan's cost is a cool $10 billion. Where might that money come from? The Journal doesn't say, but you can bet that Israelis don't have that kind of money lying around.

Perhaps the most sensitive issue will be the question of Jerusalem. Israel took full control of the city during the 1967 war with neighboring Arab states. Palestinians, however, claim the city as their future capital and say that must be reflected in any resolution to the Mideast's core conflict. The U.S. has generally supported the Palestinian position during previous peace negotiations.

In the interview, Mr. Olmert ruled out sharing political control of Jerusalem and its main holy sites with a future Palestinian state, though he left open the possibility that some surrounding Arab neighborhoods could eventually fall under Palestinian sovereignty. "Dividing Jerusalem will not bring peace, only more fighting," he said.

Mr. Olmert's position on Jerusalem underscores the deep controversy the pullout plan will face in the months to come -- among Israelis, Palestinians, Arab populations in the region and even U.S. officials. Many settlers plan to fight to stay, and the specter of internal Israeli violence will remain a concern.

Anger also could rise in the West Bank and Gaza, where many Palestinians see the pullout as an attempt by Israel to avoid negotiations and impose its will. Already, senior leaders of the militant Islamist organization Hamas -- recently voted into power by Palestinians -- have called Mr. Olmert's plan a "declaration of war."

The Bush administration also might find itself in a bind. So far, Mr. Bush has voiced support for a West Bank pullout, but his administration will face tough decisions as the plan takes shape. Mr. Olmert, for instance, said Israel will need U.S. financial assistance to implement the evacuation.

Yet if it finances the pullout, the U.S. will likely be seen throughout the Middle East as assisting Israel's bid to take permanent control of large settlement blocs and Jerusalem. The fear is that this would add to regional anger toward the U.S., complicating efforts to stabilize Iraq and promote democracy in other countries.

Read the whole thing.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:24 PM