GAZA CITY, 12 December 2005 — New Israeli Labour leader Amir Peretz yesterday called for immediate final status talks with Palestinians as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s chances of winning March elections increased with Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz joining his Kadima party.
Peretz was quoted in yesterday’s Yediot Ahronot newspaper as telling a group of diplomats that “the road map is a formula for utter political stagnation that could last for decades. It is a waste of our time.”
“Since we are not reaching the implementation of the first stages of the road map, we should not wait, but rather launch immediate negotiations for the final status arrangement with the Palestinians and with Abu Mazen,” said Peretz, referring to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
The road map was drawn up by the Middle East Quartet, which groups the United States, European Union, United Nations and Russia, three years ago but has made little progress since then and has failed to meet its target of establishing a Palestinian state in 2005.
The blueprint is a phased agreement that lays out a series of conditions for progress beyond a preliminary stage such as an end to violence and a halt to Israeli settlement activity. Violations of commitments by both sides have effectively ensured the failure of the road map.
Peretz told Yediot it was now time for a rethink and said he regarded Abbas as a partner for the peace.
“I will work to reach a final status arrangement between Israel and the Palestinians as soon as possible,” Peretz said. “I do not accept the approach that there is no partner. The approach that there is no partner perpetuates the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians.”
Polls have indicated that Labour will come in second behind Sharon’s new Kadima party in the upcoming general election but commentators also believe that a Kadima-Labour coalition is most likely to be formed in its aftermath. Peretz’s predecessor as Labour leader, Shimon Peres, had been a supporter of the road map.
Announcing his defection from the Likud party at a news conference, Mofaz said: “The combination of the prime minister and myself, which has proven itself so persuasively over the past few years, is the right and proper combination to lead Israel over the next few years.”
Mofaz is a popular figure among many Israelis, although opinion polls had predicted he would lose a Likud leadership race on Dec. 19 to former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Sharon founded centrist Kadima after quitting Likud last month over a rebellion by hawkish legislators who condemned Israel’s Gaza pullout as a surrender to Palestinians.
Mofaz said he would remain defense minister if Sharon wins re-election in the March 28 poll. Army Radio quoted the prime minister as saying he was “pleased with Mofaz’s decision.”
Surveys predict Likud finishing a distant third to Kadima and Labour.
Netanyahu, whom polls show to be the front-runner to take the Likud helm in a party primary election next week, said Kadima’s politicians were bringing “unacceptable norms” into Israeli politics.
“It’s all a matter of trade for the (Kadima) politicians who have no morals, no principles and no ideals,” Netanyahu told reporters at his Tel Aviv headquarters.
— Additional input from agencies
