'Disengagement' a Logical Step for Israel, Says Researcher
by Chad Groening
February 12, 2004
(AgapePress) - An Israeli researcher and advisor to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon says the Israeli government has decided on a policy of "unilateral disengagement" to deal with the Palestinian terrorist problem.Four years ago, Dr. Dan Schueftan wrote a book called Disengagement: Israel and the Palestinian Entity. In the book, the Israeli scholar suggested that his country must stop negotiating with those bent on its destruction.
"Even when [the Palestinians are] willing to negotiate a settlement, for them it's only an interim stage," the researcher explains. "They get all the concessions, then they want to proceed with the destruction of whatever is left of Israel."
So Schueftan says the government has finally realized that a new paradigm must be adopted. "This paradigm is disengagement," he says. "We will independently and unilaterally determine the line, and you will have a physical barrier in the form of a fence or a wall which will physically prevent the Palestinians from committing acts of terrorism inside Israel."
"The Israelis have determined this line -- and on this line, a fence is now being built," Schueftan says.
According to the University of Haifa researcher, the Palestinians are "outraged" over the wall because they want to continue terrorism and, at the same time, live at the expense of the Israeli government. And there is another long-term reason, he says.
"[In addition] they want their people to come and live inside Israel so that they change the demographic balance and turn it into another Arab state."
He says the Israeli government can no longer live with the Palestinians or negotiate territory with them -- therefore they are simply disengaging from their enemies.
