Weekly Cabinet meeting 23.11.03
At the weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday), 23.11.2003:
1. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon responded to media reports to the effect that
the government is considering taking unilateral steps in Judea, Samaria and
Gaza and said that Israel is committed to the Roadmap, added that he does
not rule out unilateral steps. However, the Prime Minister emphasized that
his position is not yet fully formed, and that any plan will be submitted to
the cabinet at the appropriate time.
Prime Minister Sharon added that this matter is not connected to the Roadmap
and that it does not negate Israels demand that the Palestinians fight terror, as detailed in the Roadmap.
2. ISA Director Avi Dichter briefed ministers on matters connected to terrorist organizations and to their continued
efforts to perpetrate terror
attacks. ISA Director Dichter also discussed the new Palestinian government, including efforts made by the Palestinian
Authority to reach a
ceasefire agreement and matters concerning the wave of Islamic terror around the world, which calls for greater security
around Israeli targets abroad.
Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom reported on his visit to Istanbul in the wake of the terror attacks against the
synagogues there, and on his meeting with
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul.
Foreign Minister Shalom also discussed the annual meeting between Israel and the European Union in Brussels in which he
urged the 25 European Union
Foreign Ministers to fulfill their moral, political and historical obligation to fight anti-Semitism. Following this
request, Irelands Foreign Minister proposed that a resolution be brought before the UN General Assembly which would
condemn the phenomenon of anti-Semitism, and this suggestion was well received by the European states.
The Foreign Minister also raised other matters regarding Israels relationship with the European Union, including
increasing economic
cooperation and the possibility of including Israel in the definition of a Wider Europe. Foreign Minister Shalom raised
other issues such as the
boycott of Israeli products from Judea, Samaria, the Golan Heights and eastern Jerusalem, and also put forward Israels
position on the separation
fence, Yasser Arafats status and the need for continued talks between Israel and the European Union on all matters of
controversy between the two
sides.
Foreign Minister Shalom also met with US Secretary of State Colin Powell in Brussels and said that Secretary of State
Powell presented the USs position that the ceasefire, as initiated by Abu Alas government, cannot be an alternative for
the Palestinian Authority dealing with security issues.
Minister Shalom continued with a report on his visit to Austria the first visit by an Israeli Foreign Minister since
1995, and noted that he found Austrian
Chancellor Wolfgang and Foreign Minister Dr. Benita Ferrero-Waldner amenable to advancing cooperation between the two
states.
Foreign Minister Shalom reacted positively to Egypts efforts to renew the ceasefire, but emphasized that a ceasefire
will not bring about a solution
in itself, and said that Abu Alas government must take steps to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure.
Foreign Minister Shalom reported on his meeting with International Atomic Energy Agency Director Dr. Mohamed El Baradei
on the matter of Irans nuclear program in which he emphasized the danger posed to the world and to Israel if Iran were
to implement this program.
Minister Shalom concluded with comments on the kidnapped Israelis in Colombia and reports that they will be released
sometime in December.
Foreign Minister Shalom said that he intends to talk to his Colombian counterpart on this matter.
Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu briefed ministers on his meetings with US administration officials and American
economic leaders during his recent visit to the US.
Minister Netanyahu said that he briefed his interlocutors on the governments economic plan, including pension fund
reforms and structural changes to the economy and noted that he met with very positive responses.
Minister Netanyahu said that he also briefed his American interlocutors on
the plan being put together to form a land bridge from the Gulf of Eilat to the ports of Ashdod and Haifa, and added
that the plan met with
admiration. He said that the plan would be submitted to the Cabinet soon and asserted that it would contribute to
regional development and stability.
Prime Minister Sharon briefed ministers on his visit to Italy last week and his meetings with senior Italian government
officials and local Jewish
community leaders.
Prime Minister Sharon said that it was made clear during his visit that Italy - among European countries - was noted for
its friendly relations with
Israel. He noted that Italy was working to balance other European countries positions toward Israel and added that
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was very active in the struggle against anti-Semitism.
Prime Minister Sharon said that he raised a wide range of issues in his talks with senior Italian government officials,
including the danger posed
by international terrorism, the need to halt the transfer of funds to Hamas and Irans nuclear program, as well as
various bilateral issues, such as the strengthening of economic, security and diplomatic relations between the two
countries.
Prime Minister Sharon noted that approximately 100 Israeli industrialists would visit Italy soon and pointed out that
Italian Deputy Prime Minister
Gianfranco Fini would begin an official visit to Israel today (Sunday),
23.11.2003.
Prime Minister Sharon also noted that he had spoken to Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday (Saturday), 22.11.2003.
Prime Minister Sharon informed ministers that he had spoken with Egyptian Prime Minister Hosni Mubarak and had wished
him well on the occasion of the
conclusion of Ramadan and the Eid al-Fitr holiday.
3. As a gesture to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on the occasion of the Eid al-Fitr holiday, the Cabinet decided to
release 10 Jordanian prisoners
and transfer them to Jordan.
The Jordanian prisoners were released according to criteria decided upon by the Cabinet in its 27.7.2003 decision that
no prisoners with, blood on their hands, would be released. A committee headed by Justice Ministry Director-General
Aharon Abramovitz in cooperation with all
relevant bodies formulated the list of prisoners and detainees to be released which will be published later today.
The prisoners will be
released on Tuesday, 25.11.2003.