Fox: Gaza pullout is ‘courageous’ move
Shadow foreign secretary Liam Fox has praised Israel’s prime minister for his “courageous” decision to pullout from sections of Gaza.
Israel has today begun its formal withdrawal from the occupied Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank, with eviction notices to the 9,000 settlers having come into effect at dawn.
The withdrawal is a key part of prime minister Ariel Sharon’s unilateral disengagement plan, which it is hoped will kick start the road map peace process to create an independent Palestinian state.
Mr Sharon has faced considerable opposition to his plans from settlers, fundamentalists and his own government – finance minister Benjamin Netanyahu resigned last week shortly before ministers voted 17 to five to approve the initial phase of withdrawals.
But he has the support of much of the international community and today the Conservatives said Mr Sharon should be praised for what could have a “profound” effect on Middle Eastern politics.
“All politicians who genuinely want to see peace in the middle-east should give open and vocal support to prime minister Sharon,” said Mr Fox, who visited the region a fortnight ago.
“It is a courageous move that deserves unambiguous backing from all those who want to see a two-state solution in the region.
“The disengagement from Gaza will have a profound effect on Israeli-Palestine politics. Those on both sides who I met agree on one thing – that following Israel’s withdrawal both Palestinian and Israeli politics will never be the same again.”
