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Journalism of Courage
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said on Tuesday the ‘‘wild behaviour’’ of ultranationalist Jews bent on scuttling his Gaza pullout plan posed a threat to Israeli democracy and would be stamped out.
In a speech to a Jewish immigration convention Sharon said that the pullout was the best way to safeguard Israel’s future security.
‘‘We must all remember that the call to disobedience and attempts to disrupt the lives of Israelis endangers the existence of Israel as a Jewish and democratic nation. We must all, regardless of creed, oppose this. And I believe that the legal authorities will take all the necessary measures to stop this wild behaviour,’’ said Sharon to applause.
Sharon also told the Jewish Agency convention that the Zionist goal of a secure Jewish homeland hinged not just on immigration but on establishing realistic borders for a Jewish majority.
‘‘It is obvious we don’t have the ability to assure a Jewish majority in every area,” he said, alluding to Gaza and parts of the West Bank.
Israel, he said, would hold on to ‘‘the most important areas to ensure our existence’’, including East Jerusalem and certain West Bank settlements. —Reuters
