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Vice Premier Haim Ramon. (Moti Kimche)
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Last update - 06:55 22/12/2007
Ramon: 70 MKs support paying settlers to evacuate voluntarily
By Yossi Verter, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Haim Ramon, West Bank 

Seventy MKs support legislation that would offer compensation to settlers willing to evacuate homes situated east of the separation fence before a final-status agreement with the Palestinians, Vice Premier Haim Ramon told Haaretz Thursday.

Ramon has been quietly probing the likelihood of MKs supporting such legislation, and is also assessing the cost of this offer to between 30,000 to 40,000 settlers. His discreet efforts are being carried out with the full knowledge and support of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

"On paper, there are 70 MKs who support the bill," Ramon told Haaretz Thursday, but he also acknowledged the fact that it is possible that some Kadima MKs will not be willing to support the evacuation of settlers prior to an agreement with the Palestinians.
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"I estimate that if the matter matures and the prime minister becomes involved in promoting the bill, the number of opponents in Kadima will be less than 10," Ramon said. The intention is to present a bill for a first reading toward the end of the winter session of the Knesset, in March 2008. However, this will not happen unless the conditions - the state of coalition politics and available funding - are considered ripe.

For example, Ramon points out that if the estimated cost of the proposal will be "$10 billion, we may not go for it."

He also said that "if it turns out that the bill will result in the fall of the government, I will not recommend to the prime minister that he push for it."

Ramon began his probe last month, following the Annapolis conference.

Labor and Meretz MKs proposed similar legislation several months ago, but in October the ministerial committee on legislation rejected it.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak said earlier this month that Labor, which he heads, will push for the approval of such legislation.

When Barak expressed his support for the legislation during a recent cabinet meeting, Olmert said that this is a subject that deserves examination, but added that he does not intend to bring it to the cabinet any time soon.

In recent days Ramon held talks with the heads of some of the political factions in the Knesset in order to evaluate whether it would be possible to count on their support for passing the legislation.

Among others, he spoke with Likud faction chairman, MK Gideon Saar, who rejected the proposal outright.

Ramon offered Saar a deal under which, in return for Likud parliamentary support for the legislation, the government would not evacuate the illegal outposts in the West Bank and would bolster the settlements that are expected to be included in the settlement blocs of a final-status agreement.

Ramon had described the legislation as being in line with the disengagement plan for evacuating the Gaza Strip and parts of northern West Bank.

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      1.   Fire those 70 MKs,Kadima Down Now, & Vote Up Settlers to Gov`t 04:32  |  Joseph E . 21/12/07
      2.   Reward Not Terror, Hand No J`lem Part, Crush Terror 04:38  |  Joseph E . 21/12/07
      3.   Israel Defensible Borders is to increase and develop Judea with S 04:43  |  Joseph E . 21/12/07
      4.   Woman Wisdom Built The House and Women Frivolity Takes it Down , 04:53  |  Joseph E . 21/12/07
      5.   After 9/11 Tragedy , A Saudi with a $10B Check 05:17  |  Joseph E . 21/12/07
      6.   First clean up your old mess ! 05:30  |  Michael 21/12/07
      7.   THIS IS EXACTLY THE HANIYA HAMAS PLAN!!! 06:30  |  Dr Eric 21/12/07
      8.   It`s crazy to give up land and get nothing in return! 06:31  |  Dr Eric 21/12/07
      9.   ARAFAT PLAN: Land for Intifada!! 06:35  |  Dr Eric 21/12/07
      10.   Palestinians must compromise to show commitment to peace!! 06:40  |  Dr Eric 21/12/07
      11.   70 MKs 06:44  |  Ari 21/12/07
      12.   Ramon Is A Liar And It Isn`t Relevant Anyway 07:04  |  Yishai Kohen 21/12/07
      13.   Game-playing: relocating 20,000 families at $500k each=$10Billion 07:15  |  Dr. L. Brnd 21/12/07
      14.   nice try but we shall not be moved so easily 08:22  |  isaskhar gar em 21/12/07
      15.   Transfer and ethnic cleansing for Jews 08:33  |  is clearly OK 21/12/07
      16.   another bloody idiot cant add up 08:40  |  victor hardman 21/12/07
      17.   I don`t believe Roman, he lied before under oath. 08:59  |  Avraham 21/12/07
      18.   Citizens of Israel - NOT SETTLERS 09:28  |  lilly 21/12/07
      19.   ramon; master propogandist 09:40  |  zev 21/12/07
      20.   Ramon "the kisser" opens his mouth once too much 11:29  |  eurabian city 21/12/07
      21.   Isreal has a right to these lands, and to defend against terror! 11:45  |  Yaakov Sullivan 21/12/07
      22.   To Joseph E #1-5 11:49  |  Aviel 21/12/07
      23.   Ramon should not ever be in The Government. It is a HUGE disgrace 12:30  |  Pavel 21/12/07
      24.   Settleer compensation 12:33  |  Bob 21/12/07
      25.   First take care of those you threw out of Gush Katif 13:13  |  Zev 21/12/07
      26.   Ramon - How much will you take to disappear 13:20  |  Beni 21/12/07
      27.   YOU MUST LEAVE NOW TAKE WHAT YOU NEED YOU THINK WILL LAST 14:08  |  amrican tax payer 21/12/07
      28.   Why can`t Israel take care of its own people 14:33  |  Bo 21/12/07
      29.   Great News: US Funds Don`t Pay For Us To Live Here 14:45  |  Yishai Kohen 21/12/07
      30.   Can do it much cheaper than Gaza 15:16  |  Tosefta 21/12/07
      31.   how bout all that back rent for squatting on palestine land? 15:31  |  muslim 21/12/07
      32.   RAMON 15:40  |  GABE1 21/12/07
      33.   voluntary Arab evacuation 15:44  |  izwick 21/12/07
      34.   Truth sacrificed on the Altar of Leftism 15:44  |  Yacoub Sulleiman 21/12/07
      35.   #30. cheaper still 15:53  |  economist 21/12/07
      36.   Palestinians have a right to this land and self defense 15:55  |  Joseph E . 21/12/07
      37.   33. izwick still lost in the desert 15:57  |  compass 21/12/07
      38.   Evacuation, Resettlement, Relocation.... These are Newspeak Terms 16:16  |  Klaudia 21/12/07
      39.   #31 where is the palestine land?? its in jordan 16:22  |  victor hardman 21/12/07
      40.   Let the money for Palestinian arms BUY the houses 16:36  |  The Equalizer 21/12/07
      41.   To #18 - The Rightful Citizens 16:43  |  Amoz 21/12/07
      42.   Why is this convicted sex offender allowed to be in office? 17:04  |  Stayin Alive 21/12/07
      43.   Re Eric #7,8,9,10 ..... 17:08  |  Esther 21/12/07
      44.   Re Ari #11 17:14  |  Esther 21/12/07
      45.   Re Yishai #12 17:24  |  Esther 21/12/07
      46.   Re issakhar #14 17:32  |  Esther 21/12/07
      47.   More Newspeak terms (Klaudia #38) 17:38  |  Tosefta 21/12/07
      48.   An evil man`s tongue always gets him into trouble... 17:51  |  bat yam 21/12/07
      49.   $10 billions estimated costs for evacuation of settlements 18:07  |  Bertold Ball 21/12/07
      50.   Slowly but ever so surely 18:07  |  Danite 21/12/07
      51.   Yishai Kohen 18:09  |  Danite 21/12/07
      52.   #30 Tosefta, a Marxist Appendix to Hamas 18:13  |  Eugene 21/12/07
      53.   # 47 - Tosefta confuses newspeak with childish slander 18:20  |  Klaudia 21/12/07
      54.   # 1- 10 Do you dare ? 18:26  |  Mike the American 21/12/07
      55.   An evil man`s tongue always gets him into trouble... 18:30  |  bat yam 21/12/07
      56.   Time Travelling 18:30  |  Klaudia 21/12/07
      57.   Israel has every right to build houses for its citizens, 18:31  |  Marwan مروان خوري 21/12/07
      58.   #42. does zion have any other kind? 18:53  |  lookin around 21/12/07
      59.   GABE I (Post No. 32) 19:22  |  Johnny Weintraub 21/12/07
      60.   Yishai Kohen 19:28  |  Danite 21/12/07
      61.   To muslim # 31 ... HI HO HI HO .... To the Swiss Bank We Go 19:30  |  Klaudia 21/12/07
      62.   I must insist, Klaudia #53 19:38  |  Tosefta 21/12/07
      63.   Tossi Fetta and Foreclosure 19:43  |  GABE1 21/12/07
      64.   PLO existed pre-67! 19:56  |  David 21/12/07
      65.   54 Myopic Mike the "American"? 20:02  |  The Equalizer 21/12/07
      66.   The depth of shame waiting G-d`s vengeance. 20:06  |  Akram Zekaria 21/12/07
      67.   Existential question to Joseph E. and Dr. Eric 20:21  |  Stephen Connor 21/12/07
      68.   Danite 20:28  |  GABE1 21/12/07
      69.   Interesting Idea 20:32  |  Scharker Yid 21/12/07
      70.   Degenerate One #31 20:34  |  GABE1 21/12/07
      71.   Look at this face - 20:41  |  17 21/12/07
      72.   Tosefta # 62 ...OK, OK, ... 20:46  |  Klaudia 21/12/07
      73.   Klaudia - What`s your solution 20:51  |  Stephen Connor 21/12/07
      74.   67Scharker Yid. Good idea. Since the leftists have 20:52  |  no longer a "racist" 21/12/07
      75.   Esther #43 20:58  |  GABE1 21/12/07
      76.   ISrael is our tiny Homeland. There is no "greater Israel". 21:14  |  Chaim 21/12/07
      77.   Gabe 21:19  |  Another friend 21/12/07
      78.   Esther 21:21  |  Israeli 21/12/07
      79.   to Stephrn Connor - Solution 21:24  |  17 21/12/07
      80.   To Stephen Connor # 73 21:41  |  Klaudia 21/12/07