Sharon tells Party: Must give up some settlements for peace

Sharon has raised hackles on both sides by hinting he could uproot some isolated Jewish settlements and summarily draw the borders of a Palestinian state should a US-backed peace plan, now stymied by mutual non-compliance, ultimately collapse. The boundaries would roughly parallel the path of a controversial barrier Israeli is building through the West Bank.

Israel says the swathe of fencing, trenches and walls is to keep suicide bombers out. But its course would incorporate major settlement blocs and truncate territory where Palestinians seek statehood.

Commenting on Sharon’s hints of unilateral steps, veteran Israeli peacemaker Shimon Peres urged the PM to pull troops and settlers out of the Gaza Strip immediately. ‘‘I do not see any reason for us staying in Gaza,’’ Peres, leader of the main Opposition Labour Party, said. ‘‘Gaza is a burden on our shoulders.’’

Political sources said Sharon, a long time patron of settlement on land Israel captured in the 1967 West Asia war, reiterated at a stormy meeting of Likud legislators on Monday that ‘‘painful concessions’’ were necessary for peace. ‘‘Ultimately we will not be in all the places we are now,’’ he told the meeting. ‘‘I do not rule out unilateral steps…for our own interests, in our favour.’’ He declined to elaborate. ‘‘Sharon has nothing concrete in mind yet,’’ said a senior source close to him. (Reuters)