Mofaz proposes immediate Palestinian state

Shalom Yerushalmi reports in Ma'ariv today that Knesset Member Shaul Mofaz (former Defense Minister and Chief of Staff) is proposing the creation of a Palestinian state immediately, with temporary borders, and to create territorial contiguity by moving settlement outposts and paving new roads.

Mofaz has outlined his vision in stages, the first being a White House ceremony in which the establishment of the state is declared and an agreement is signed which states that the final borders of the state will extend at least to the separation barrier. During this time, Mofaz said that building in the settlement blocs would continue, but would cease in the other settlements. The negotiating parties would begin to discuss the other core issues to an agreement, reaching a final negotiation within four years.

From Ma'ariv:

Mofaz is confident that it will not be very difficult to solve the problem of the borders. With respect to refugees, Mofaz is not prepared to make any compromises. He is prepared to have refugees return only to the sovereign Palestinian state.

Mofaz is prepared to discuss for the first time transferring sovereignty over large neighborhoods and villages to the Palestinian state, and about special arrangements in the holy basin, which is comprised of the Old City, the Temple Mount, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and other holy sites. He believes that Israel will have to remove dozens of settlements, and that a total of close to 70,000 people will have to be evacuated. Mofaz think that this difficult process will be possible after he wins the support of a majority of the people, which will realize that the alternative is a bi-national state.

Mofaz suggests that Israel learn from the failures of disengagement and begin negotiating an expanded evacuation-compensation bill with them immediately.The evacuated settlers will receive everything they want: settlements will be relocated in their entirety to new sites, funds will be allocated at three and four times the value of their evacuated property, their children will be given free education at universities and yeshivas for an extended period of time and so forth.

This report comes amidst Mofaz's intentions to succeed Opposition Leader Tzippi Livni as chair of the Kadima Party, with his claims that her actions have only delayed the peace process.