First Mideast 'Road Map' Meets Protest

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, June 05, 2003

First Mideast 'Road Map' Meets Protest

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Jewish settlers from the West Bank jammed Jerusalem on Wednesday to demonstrate against Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's acceptance of a new peace plan, and Palestinian militants said their prime minister had sold out at a Mideast peace summit launching the "road map."

Sharon and his Palestinian counterpart, Mahmoud Abbas, took the first steps in the groundbreaking plan at a Wednesday meeting in Aqaba, Jordan, with President Bush, who is attempting to get the two sides to end 32 months of bloodshed.

The plan mandates the dismantling of illegal settlements, an end to attacks against Israel, and the creation of a Palestinian state in 2005. In separate statements after the meeting, Sharon pledged to dismantle illegal settlement outposts, while Abbas renounced all terrorism against Israel.

In Jerusalem, ten of thousands of Jewish settlers and their supporters demonstrated against the plan.

Hard-line politicians addressing the rally, including members of Sharon's ruling coalition, warned that Sharon's acceptance of a Palestinian state would endanger Israel's existence.

But Palestinian militants, including the Hamas group, vowed to fight on and said accepting the plan betrays Palestinian goals.

Source: Agencies

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