Development Overseas:
Sharon Plan, a treacherous ploy

Basahin ang artikulong ito sa Pilipino

Under direct US approval and support, Israel�s Sharon regime is pulling off another scheme to perpetuate Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands.

Under the so-called Sharon Plan, Israel will voluntarily withdraw its settlements in the Gaza Strip in exchange for the expansion and permanent occupation of six settlement blocks covering nearly half of the West Bank. The plan further rules out the right of return of Palestinians driven out in 1948 and 1967.

The Sharon Plan flatly violates provisions of international law which recognize the Palestinian refugees� right of return. It contravenes even the 2003 US �roadmap� ploy supposedly for peace between Israel and Palestine. The �roadmap� implicitly prohibits Israeli expansion and provides for the eventual pullout of all Israeli settlements from Palestinian territories.

The Sharon Plan is but one of the latest maneuvers by Israel and the US. Earlier, the two countries bluntly ignored calls to dismantle �security barriers� built by Israel inside Palestine. Israel also intensified its attacks on Palestine and the assassination of key personalities leading the struggle against the occupation. On March 22, Israeli forces killed Sheik Ahmed Yassin, founder of the armed Palestinian group Hamas which is actively fighting Israeli occupation. On April 17, Israeli also killed Abdel Aziz Rantissi, Yassin�s successor.

US and Israeli officials have been celebrating and congratulating themselves for their murder of Hamas leaders which they consider as major achievements. Palestinians and other Arabs, democratic and progressive forces, and most of the world�s nations have expressed strong indignation over the incidents.

21 April 2004
English Edition

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