On 19 January 1989 Defense Minister Rabin held a press briefing in which he proposed the following plan. There will be a period of what he termed expanded autonomy in the areas held by Israel. The inhabitants will elect delegates who will negotiate with Israel on a final settlement. For their part, the Palestinians will suspend the violence for a period of six months. The purpose of the plan was to try and isolate the PLO in the territories and give greater weight to local elements. Mr. Rabin stated that if the Palestinians will reject the plan, Israel will be able to crush the Intifadah by greater force since it offered a positive plan to them. The Palestinian leadership in the, territories rejected the plan, fearing it will drive a wedge between them and the PLO. Mr. Shamir, in the following interview, said that the plan was a personal proposal of Minister Rabin, and was not yet discussed in any official forum. But official in the Prime Minister's Office were at work on similar ideas. Text of the interview follows:
"I believe that I should respond to this plan. First and foremost, because it is a totally personal opinion on the part of the Minister of Defense, or more precisely, that of Minister Yitzhak Rabin. And also, there has been no debate on the issue by the Cabinet or the Inner Cabinet. Therefore, I do not consider that I am in any way obliged to comment on the matter. In the meantime, I have been informed that all the Arab elements reject this plan. I would, therefore, not advise us - in Israel - to get embroiled in discussions on a notion which has no chance of being implemented."
Q: You had a hard day last week. Do the harsh words expressed by the soldiers with whom you met last week, lead you to any second thoughts on Israel's policy in the territories, or towards the intifada?
A: I disagree that the day was a difficult one. I was glad to meet with the soldiers and I was prepared to hear various opinions. For whatever transpires in the thoughts and hearts of the general Israeli public, takes place among Israel's soldiers as well - particularly when the unit in question was an IDF reserves one, and its men come from all walks of life and entertain various opinions of our society.
Q: And it is precisely these people who might participate in a possible future war.
A: Certainly. And I don't see anything wrong with the fact that there are persons with different opinions. The fact is that even those who levelled criticism, wholeheartedly participate in this war, which has been forced on us.