Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, facing a slip in his popularity, told his Cabinet he would consider unilateral moves, possibly drawing a border and dismantling some settlements, but Palestinian and Israeli sceptics said it was just a public relations manoeuvre by the longtime champion of the settlements.

In another development, Israel expelled three Palestinians from the West Bank to Gaza late Sunday. In all, six of 18 on a list drawn up by the military have been expelled. Israel says the expulsions are meant to stop the Palestinians from carrying out terror attacks. Palestinians and human rights groups have denounced the practice.

Israeli media reported details of Sharon's proposals, but he told his Cabinet only that he would not rule out unilateral steps, pledging to bring any new moves to the Cabinet for approval.

Sharon, a hard-liner who promoted growth of Israeli settlement in the West Bank and Gaza Strip through decades of Cabinet positions, is under increasing domestic pressure to show some results from his pledge to restore peace and security for his people after three years of violence with the Palestinians.

Also, the US administration, up to now supportive of Sharon's harsh military measures against the Palestinians, citing Israel's right of self defence, has been increasingly critical of Israeli restrictions against the Palestinian population and construction of a barrier designed to keep Palestinian attackers out, but dipping deep into the West Bank to include settlements on the "Israeli" side.

Sharon told his Cabinet that he remains committed to the US-backed "road map" peace plan but he does not rule out unilateral steps, a Cabinet statement said, presumably if the road map fails.

Sharon told Yediot Ahronot daily he would present his new plan soon. "I just wanted the Israeli public to know that its prime minister has not stopped thinking about how to get out of the impasse with the Palestinians," he told the newspaper.

Palestinian officials and Israeli liberals were sceptical. "We've heard many promises but nothing has come of them," said Israeli opposition leader Shimon Peres, adding that the removal even of small settlements would break up Sharon's centre-right coalition. "I don't think Sharon is in a hurry to take apart his government," Peres said.

The reports sparked conflicting reactions from Cabinet ministers. Effi Eitam of the National Union dismissed the reported plans as "complete folly" - while Yosef Paritski of the centrist Shinui party said his group would "demand concrete steps to jump-start and advance the diplomatic process."

Under the plan reported Israel would draw its own border if peace efforts bog down, and the frontier would run along the West Bank barrier currently under construction. Sharon reportedly told the ministers he would consider rerouting upcoming segments, which as currently planned would cut deep into the West Bank in some areas, and bring them closer to Israel.

Israel would also uproot smaller settlements, and residents would be moved to the Negev Desert or to larger settlement blocs in the West Bank, according to the reported plan. Israel would withdraw from Palestinian towns and release some of the thousands of Palestinian prisoners it holds.

The leaks were published at a time of renewed effort to revive the road map, stalled almost since its introduction in June. Both sides have failed to meet even the most basic requirements - a settlement freeze and the removal of dozens of illegal West Bank outposts by Israel, and the dismantling of militant groups by the Palestinians.

The Palestinians have long argued that they cannot dismantle armed groups for fear of setting off civil war. Palestinian officials say the United States ceded the point last week, drastically reducing demands in an action plan for the Palestinian security forces which was sent to Qureia last week.

According to the document, the officials said, the United States would expect Palestinian security forces to close weapons smuggling tunnels, stop the manufacture of homemade rockets and mortars, arrest those who fire them, set up security checkpoints and detain those who appear in public with illegal weapons. It falls short of a crackdown.

A poll released indicated that many Israelis back far-reaching compromises for peace.

(China Daily November 24, 2003)