- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice says that
disengagement
from Gush Katif and northern Shomron is fine, but only as a first step
towards a full-fledged PLO state.
-
- Rice met with Prime Minister Sharon's top aide Dov
Weisglass
in Washington on Monday. She explained to him the U.S. position that the
unilateral withdrawal from Gaza is acceptable only as a prelude to the
full Road Map plan proposed by President Bush.
-
- The Road Map plan calls for a "viable" - i.e.,
territorially-contiguous - Arab state in Judea, Samaria and Gaza. Rice,
as well, emphasized this point to Weisglass. This means that Gaza must
be connected with a land-line to Judea, effectively dividing Israel in
half, north and south of the Gaza-Hevron connection.
-
- However, Associate Prime Minister Shimon Peres said
today,
"I think that she was not referring to a connection between Judea
and Gaza, but rather to a connection between Judea and Samaria... We do
have to ensure, however, that the [PA entity] will be able to effectively
move goods between Gaza and Judea."
-
- Prime Minister Sharon often says that the disengagement
will help Israel strengthen its hold on five settlement blocs in Judea
and Samaria. Nowhere, however, has US President Bush ever promised such
support. In a letter to Sharon almost two years ago, Bush wrote only,
"In
light of new realities on the ground, including already existing major
Israeli population centers, it is unrealistic to expect that the outcome
of final status negotiations will be a full and complete return to the
armistice lines of 1949..."
-
- Rice's statements that the disengagement is only a first
step further erodes Israeli hopes that the international community will
approve extensive Israeli presence in the Biblical homeland areas it
liberated
in the Six Day War of 1967.
-
- Secretary Rice is expected to arrive in Israel in the
coming days. Upon assuming her post as Secretary of State last week, Rice
said she sees the implementation of an arrangement in the Middle East a
"personal objective."
-
- Excerpts from the Road Map plan as issued by the U.S.
Department of State on April 30, 2003:
-
- "A two state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict will only be achieved through an end to violence and terrorism,
when the Palestinian people have a leadership acting decisively against
terror and willing and able to build a practicing democracy based on
tolerance
and liberty, and through Israel's readiness to do what is necessary for
a democratic Palestinian state to be established, and a clear, unambiguous
acceptance by both parties of the goal of a negotiated settlement as
described
below. The Quartet will assist and facilitate implementation of the plan,
starting in Phase I, including direct discussions between the parties as
required. The plan establishes a realistic timeline for implementation.
However, as a performance-based plan, progress will require and depend
upon the good faith efforts of the parties, and their compliance with each
of the obligations outlined below...
-
- "A settlement, negotiated between the parties, will
result in the emergence of an independent, democratic, and viable
Palestinian
state living side by side in peace and security with Israel and its other
neighbors...
-
- "In Phase I, the Palestinians immediately undertake
an unconditional cessation of violence according to the steps outlined
below; such action should be accompanied by supportive measures undertaken
by Israel... Israel also freezes all settlement activity, consistent with
the Mitchell report.
-
- "* Palestinian leadership issues unequivocal
statement
reiterating Israel's right to exist in peace and security and calling for
an immediate and unconditional ceasefire to end armed activity and all
acts of violence against Israelis anywhere. All official Palestinian
institutions
end incitement against Israel.
-
- "* Israeli leadership issues unequivocal statement
affirming its commitment to the two-state vision of an independent, viable,
sovereign Palestinian state living in peace and security alongside Israel,
as expressed by President Bush, and calling for an immediate end to
violence
against Palestinians everywhere. All official Israeli institutions end
incitement against Palestinians.
-
- "* Palestinians declare an unequivocal end to
violence
and terrorism and undertake visible efforts on the ground to arrest,
disrupt,
and restrain individuals and groups conducting and planning violent attacks
on Israelis anywhere.
-
- "* Israel immediately dismantles settlement outposts
erected since March 2001.
-
- "* Consistent with the Mitchell Report, Israel
freezes
all settlement activity (including natural growth of settlements).
-
- "* [In the final stage,] Parties reach final and
comprehensive permanent status agreement that ends the Israel-Palestinian
conflict in 2005, through a settlement negotiated between the parties based
on UNSCR 242, 338, and 1397, that ends the occupation that began in 1967,
and includes an agreed, just, fair, and realistic solution to the refugee
issue, and a negotiated resolution on the status of Jerusalem that takes
into account the political and religious concerns of both sides, and
protects
the religious interests of Jews, Christians, and Muslims worldwide, and
fulfills the vision of two states, Israel and sovereign, independent,
democratic
and viable Palestine, living side-by-side in peace and security.
-
- "* Arab state acceptance of full normal relations
with Israel and security for all the states of the region in the context
of a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace."
-
- http://www.arutzsheva.com/news.php3?id=76238
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