BARAK: OK IF WEST BANK WITHDRAWAL BRINGS ROCKET FIRE

EHUD BARAK ADVOCATES THAT ISRAEL WITHDRAW FROM THE WEST BANK EVEN THOUGH HE FULLY EXPECTS THE TERRITORY (LIKE GAZA) WILL BE USED AS A LAUNCHING PAD (ALBEIT FROM A GREATER HEIGHT) FOR ROCKETS INTO ISRAEL'S MAIN POPULATION CENTERS. WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD CEDE TERRITORY TO THEIR ENEMIES IN ORDER TO GIVE THEIR ENEMY A BETTER POSITION FROM WHICH TO FIRE DEADLY WEAPONS?

Barak: Missile Defense Is Precondition for Pullout - Amos Harel
Defense Minister Ehud Barak considers the development of technological defenses against rocket fire on the home front a precondition for any significant withdrawal from the West Bank. Such a withdrawal would put Israel's main population centers in Kassam rocket range of the Palestinian Authority. Therefore, Israel must first develop and deploy an effective anti-missile system - a process that is expected to take three to five years. (Ha'aretz)