CRIF HOSTS ISRAEL’S DEFENSE MINISTER

Mr. Mofaz said Israel was about to implement the separation plan. PA leader Yassir Arafat is a terrorist gang leader, reportedly said the Defense minister. Israel made a historic mistake three years ago because should have expelled him when Ehud Barak was Prime Minister and I was IDF’s Chief of Staff. Arafat turned down all the concessions made by Barak and made his best to torpedo any possible negotiation, went on Mofaz.

The separation from the Palestinians doesn’t mean that the door will be closed to negotiation. For the time being, there is no Palestinian partner with whom Israel can negotiate and the current situation may go on for years, two, three or five years before a real negotiation along the lines of the roadmap can resume.

The Defense minister explained that Israel intends to reinforce the Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria. He said he was referring to existing large settlements agreed upon by a vast majority of Israelis, constituting a strong and defensible border.

Shaul Mofaz also said Iran constituted a major threat to Israel because the extremist government in Teheran had acquired non conventional WMD.