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Jerusalem, 5 September 1999
Cabinet Approves Sharm el-Sheik Agreement
(Communicated by the Prime Ministers Media Adviser)
The Cabinet today (Sunday), 5.9.99, approved the Sharm El-Sheikh
agreement by a vote of 21-2. (Interior Minister Natan Sharansky and
Construction and Housing Minister Yitzhak Levy voted against the
agreement.)
The agreement secured a three-month postponement of the main part of the
withdrawal thereby facilitating intensive discussion -- in a positive
atmosphere of mutual confidence -- of a framework agreement for the
permanent settlement as a mutually agreed-upon goal. The agreement
strengthens the intimate dialogue between Israel and the US, as it
existed during the Rabin era.
Prime Minister Ehud Barak spoke of the difficulty and pain necessarily
entailed in separating from parts of the Land of Israel, according to
the Wye Agreement, which was signed by the Netanyahu government. The
Prime Minister added that he has emotional connections, which stem from
both the power of our history and the fact that Israelis under the
aegis of successive governments -- have invested their lives and dreams
in settling the land, which has public, emotional and security
significance. However, Prime Minister Barak said that he is convinced
that the political process will strengthen the long-term security of the
State of Israel and its citizens.
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