But
during the cabinet session Sharon described the 14 points as a "red
line".
Only
one minister voted against the motion rejecting the Palestinian
refugees' right of return, while 16 approved, the Israeli sources said.
Israel
has always been opposed to the right of return, arguing that if 3.7
million Palestinians and their descendants returned to Israel, the
state's “Jewish character” would be challenged.
Sharon
convened the cabinet meeting after obtaining guarantees from Washington
that Israel's concerns over the roadmap would be addressed, and admitted
during the meeting that he did not fully support the plan.
"I
don't like the roadmap either, but it's a lesser evil," he was
quoted as saying during the tumultuous meeting.
Quoted
by Sunday's Yediot Aharonot daily, Sharon also said: "The
moment has come to cut, the moment has arrived to say 'yes' to the
Americans. The moment has arrived to divide this tract of land between
us and the Palestinians."
Predicting
the ministers' qualified endorsement of the roadmap, Yediot's
leading editorialist, Nahum Barnea, argued that the government would
only vote in favor of the motion if it was sure of its failure.
"A
government of any other composition than the present one would adopt the
plan with enthusiasm. But most of the ministers in the current cabinet
are prepared to support a peace initiative only if they are assured that
it will never be implemented," he argued.
On
the diplomatic front, French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin
arrived on Sunday for talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials.
However
the visit, which was aimed at promoting the roadmap but also at easing
relations between France and Israel, was marred before it even started
when an Israeli official announced Saturday that Sharon would not meet
the top French diplomat.
He
pleaded that "the schedule of the prime minister, who decides for
himself whom he wants to meet, does not permit him to organize such a
meeting," and refused to say whether the snub was a consequence of
De Villepin's decision to meet Monday with Arafat.
Last
week, Sharon refused to see European Union foreign policy chief Javier
Solana because of the E.U. diplomat's meeting with Arafat, with whom
Israel refuses to negotiate.
The
two diplomatic hitches come amid tough negotiating on the future of the
roadmap, which the European Union has taken a stand that it not be
changed.
Meanwhile
on the ground, Israeli troops backed by dozens of tanks and other
armored vehicles were still occupying the northern West Bank refugee
camp of Tulkarem and abducted seven activists, Palestinian security
sources said.
A
day after the army first entered the camp, the troops distributed flyers
to the population promising them they would not get hurt if they did not
attempt to protect gunmen, witnesses said.
But
the troops combed the camp by pushing holes through the residents' walls
in order to move from one house to another without exposing themselves
to sniper fire, they said.
Main
Points Of The "Roadmap"
In
the preamble, the roadmap envisages:
 |
|
Palestinian
youths run for cover from an Israeli Army bulldozer in the West
Bank city of Tulkarm May 25
|
-
A two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will only be
achieved through an end to violence and terrorism when the Palestinian
people have a leadership acting decisively against terror and willing
and able to build a practicing democracy based on tolerance and liberty
and through Israel's readiness to do what is necessary for a democratic
Palestinian state to be established.
-
A settlement, negotiated between the parties, will result in the
emergence of an independent, democratic, and viable Palestinian state
living side by side in peace and security with Israel and its other
neighbors.
-
The settlement will resolve the Israel-Palestinian conflict, and end the
occupation that began in 1967.
-
The acceptance of Israel as a neighbor living in peace and security, in
the context of a comprehensive settlement.
-
This initiative is a vital element of international efforts to promote a
comprehensive peace on all tracks, including the Syrian-Israeli and
Lebanese-Israeli tracks.
PHASE
I:
-
The Palestinians immediately undertake an unconditional cessation of
violence
-
Palestinians and Israelis resume security cooperation ... to end
violence, terrorism, and incitement through restructured and effective
Palestinian security services
-
The Palestinians undertake comprehensive political reform in preparation
for statehood, including drafting a constitution, and free, fair and
open elections
-
Israel takes all necessary steps to help normalize Palestinian life
-
Israel withdraws from Palestinian areas occupied from September 28, 2000
-
Israel also freezes all settlement activity, consistent with the
Mitchell report and dismantles settlement outposts erected since March
2001
-
Leaderships on both sides issue unequivocal statements reiterating the
other's right to exist in peace and security and calling for an
immediate and unconditional ceasefire to end armed activity and all acts
of violence
-
Arab states cut off public and private funding and all other forms of
support for groups supporting and engaging in violence and terror Israel
takes measures to improve the humanitarian situation
PHASE
II (June-December 2003)
In
the second phase, efforts are focused on the option of creating an
independent Palestinian state with provisional borders and attributes of
sovereignty, starting after Palestinian elections, if the quartet judges
the conditions favorable
-
An international conference, convened by the quartet, immediately after
the successful conclusion of Palestinian elections, to support
Palestinian economic recovery and launch a process, leading to
establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
PHASE
III (2004-2005)
-
The objectives are consolidation of reform and stabilization of
Palestinian institutions, sustained, effective Palestinian security
performance and Israeli-Palestinian negotiations aimed at a permanent
status agreement in 2005
-
A second international conference at the beginning of 2004 leading to a
final, permanent status resolution in 2005, including on borders,
Jerusalem, refugees, settlements
-
To support progress toward a comprehensive Middle East settlement
between
