JERUSALEM, 27 August 2005 — A majority of Israelis favor removing more Jewish settlements in occupied lands beyond the 25 scrapped this week even as the government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon plans to consolidate the West Bank settlements.
A poll published in the country’s biggest newspaper Yediot Ahronot showed 54 percent of those surveyed want to continue Sharon’s plan to “disengage” from conflict with the Palestinians while 42 percent oppose it and 4 percent did not respond.
Under Sharon’s pullout plan, Israel removed 9,000 settlers from all of the Gaza Strip and the northern West Bank, lands occupied 38 years ago. It was the first Israeli withdrawal from land where Palestinians want a state. An even more decisive 68 percent of Israelis favor removing hilltop outposts which Israeli governments have not authorized, the poll showed.
The World Court brands all settlements illegal. About 230,000 Jews remain in some 116 settlements scattered among the 2.4 million Palestinians of the West Bank.
The poll surveyed 501 Israelis.
A government official said yesterday that the population in West Bank settlements had grown by more than 12,000 during the past year. The latest figures drew new criticism from Palestinian officials, who accused Israel of undermining prospects for peace.
Gilad Heiman, a Housing Ministry spokesman, said the settler population in the West Bank grew to about 246,000 in June, an increase of 12,800, or 5 percent, over the previous year. He said the increase stemmed from new births and an influx of new residents, though he could not provide a breakdown.
Meanwhile, the Palestinians said they intend to oppose any move by Israel to have the UN Security Council declare its 38-year occupation of the Gaza Strip over after the withdrawal of all Jewish settlers.
Foreign Minister Nasser Al-Kidwa said Israel’s continued control of Gaza’s airspace and territorial waters meant any such move would be premature and should await a comprehensive peace agreement.
“The international community must maintain the Palestinian territories’ current legal status after the unilateral Israeli withdrawal,” said Kidwa, who traveled to Moscow this week to put his case to one of the five permanent members with veto powers on the Security Council.
The minister charged with liaison with Israel over the pullout, Mohammed Dahlan, echoed Kidwa’s comments. “Gaza will remain under the control of the occupier, who will continue to weigh heavily on our lives through control of border crossings, airspace and territorial waters,” he said.
Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom told a Kuwaiti daily last week that he planned to ask the Security Council to declare the occupation of Gaza over and Prime Minister Sharon is to address the UN General Assembly next month as part of Israeli efforts to improve its standing with the world body.
Israel wants to keep control over the borders of the Gaza Strip even after its pullout, citing fears that the Palestinian territory will turn into a bastion of militancy awash with weapons.
