April 1: The European Jewish Congress slammed European Union claims that most anti-Semitic attacks are committed by white males. Ariel Sharon's Likud Party would narrowly approve his plan for Israel to disengage from the Palestinians, a survey found. Arabs trying to block the arrival of Jewish residents in an eastern Jerusalem neighborhood scuffled with Israeli police. Israeli soldiers killed two would-be infiltrators in the Gaza Strip. One of Europe's leading pro-Israel legislators announced he will run for reelection to the European Parliament. Forty Israeli defense companies recorded a total of more than $1 billion in sales to Latin American countries during the past three years. April 2: Muslims threw stones at Israeli police after prayers on Jerusalem's Temple Mount. The United States will seek U.N. recognition of Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. A European Parliamentary inquiry said it found no evidence that E.U. payments to the Palestinian Authority were being diverted to terrorists. Palestinian leaders must pay more than $232 million for the killing of two West Bank Jewish settlers, a U.S. judge ruled. Tony Blair rejected the idea that Israel should be considered a terrorist state. April 5: Israel plans to remove all Gaza settlements and four in the West Bank. Religious Jews sacrificed a paschal goat outside Jerusalem's Old City after being turned away from the Temple Mount. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon hinted U.S. protection over Yasser Arafat had expired.

(1) Israel has demonstrated its sincere desire for peace and its readiness to make the difficult decisions required for peace. Israel is fully committed to pursuing negotiated agreements with her Arab neighbors so that it may finally live in peace and security. Israel reached historic peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan in which both sides made serious compromises for the sake of normalized relations. Through its democratic system, the Israeli electorate has voted out governments they believe have not done enough to pursue peace, just as they have voted out governments they believe have not done enough to promote their security. The Palestinian campaign of terrorism and violence has caused even those Israelis most supportive of the peace process to question the Palestinian Authority's suitability as a negotiating partner and its commitment to peaceful reconciliation with Israel. (2) There is no excuse for Palestinian terrorism. Palestinian demands and grievances can only be resolved at the negotiating table, not through violence and terrorism. Had the Palestinians shown a commitment to negotiations, Israel's ambitious plan to create a Palestinian state in the entire Gaza Strip and up to 95% of the West Bank would have already been a reality. Indeed, the Palestinian campaign of terrorism and violence has caused even those Israelis most supportive of the peace process to question the Palestinian Authority's commitment to peaceful reconciliation. (3) Israel has a right to exist in peace within secure borders. Faced with attack on its city streets, Israel has a fundamental right and an obligation to its citizens to defend itself.