The much anticipated "Roadmap to Peace" in
the middle east was launched today as Mahmoud Abbas was sworn in as the
Palestinian Prime Minister, and a homicide bomber from Gaza, holding a
British passport slipped into Tel Aviv and killed four civilian bystanders
and injured 50 by detonating the bomb he was wearing at the entrance to
Mike's Place a popular western-style bar and cafe that was ripped apart by the
blast.1,3
The following "roadmap" to
peace in the Middle East, was presented to
Palestinian and Israeli leaders by mediators representing the United
Nations, European Union, United States and Russia ("The Quartet"). The transcription was prepared by
the BBC2, and reformatted for E2, by GOM.
A Performance-Based Roadmap to a Permanent Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian
Conflict
The following is a performance-based and goal-driven
roadmap, with clear phases, timelines,
target dates, and benchmarks aiming at progress through reciprocal steps by
the two parties in the political, security, economic, humanitarian, and
institution-building fields, under the auspices of the Quartet. The destination
is a final and comprehensive settlement of the Israel-Palestinian conflict by
2005, as presented in President Bush's speech of 24 June, and welcomed by the EU,
Russia and the UN in the 16 July and 17
September Quartet Ministerial statements.
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. Should the parties perform their obligations rapidly, progress
within and through the phases may come sooner than indicated in the plan.
Non-compliance with obligations will impede progress.
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.
The settlement will resolve the Israel-Palestinian conflict, and end the
occupation that began in 1967, based on the foundations of the Madrid
Conference, the principle of land for peace, UNSCRs 242, 338 and 1397,
agreements previously reached by the parties, and the initiative of Saudi Crown
Prince Abdullah endorsed by the Beirut Arab League Summit calling for
acceptance of Israel as a neighbor living in peace and security, in the context
of a comprehensive settlement. This initiative is a vital element of
international efforts to promote a comprehensive peace on all tracks, including
the Syrian-Israeli and Lebanese-Israeli tracks.
The Quartet will meet regularly at senior levels to
evaluate the parties' performance on implementation of the plan. In each phase,
the parties are expected to perform their obligations in parallel, unless
otherwise indicated.
Phase I:
Ending Terror And Violence, Normalizing
Palestinian Life, and Building Palestinian Institutions Present to
May 2003
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.
Palestinians and Israelis resume security cooperation based on the Tenet
work plan to end violence, terrorism, and incitement through restructured and
effective Palestinian security services. Palestinians undertake comprehensive
political reform in preparation for statehood, including drafting a
Palestinian constitution, and free, fair and open elections upon the basis of
those measures. Israel takes all necessary steps to help normalize Palestinian
life. Israel withdraws from Palestinian areas occupied from September 28, 2000
and the two sides restore the status quo that existed at that time, as security
performance and cooperation progress. Israel also freezes all settlement
activity, consistent with the Mitchell report.
At the outset of Phase I:
— 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.
Security
— 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.
— Rebuilt and refocused Palestinian Authority security
apparatus begins sustained, targeted, and effective operations aimed at
confronting all those engaged in terror and dismantlement of terrorist
capabilities and infrastructure. This includes commencing confiscation of
illegal weapons and consolidation of security authority, free of association
with terror and corruption.
— GOI [Government of Israel] takes no actions undermining
trust, including deportations, attacks on civilians; confiscation and/or
demolition of Palestinian homes and property, as a punitive measure or to
facilitate Israeli construction; destruction of Palestinian institutions and
infrastructure; and other measures specified in the Tenet work plan.
— Relying on existing mechanisms and on-the-ground
resources, Quartet representatives begin informal monitoring and consult with
the parties on establishment of a formal monitoring mechanism and its
implementation.
— Implementation, as previously agreed, of U.S.
rebuilding, training and resumed security cooperation plan in collaboration with
outside oversight board (U.S.EgyptJordan). Quartet support for efforts to
achieve a lasting, comprehensive cease-fire.
— All Palestinian security organizations are consolidated
into three services reporting to an empowered Interior Minister.
— Restructured/retrained Palestinian security forces and
IDF [Israeli Defense Force] counterparts progressively resume security
cooperation and other undertakings in implementation of the Tenet work plan,
including regular senior-level meetings, with the participation of U.S. security
officials.
— Arab states cut off public and private funding and
all other forms of support for groups supporting and engaging in violence and
terror.
— All donors providing budgetary support for the
Palestinians channel these funds through the Palestinian Ministry of Finance's
Single Treasury Account.
— As comprehensive security performance moves forward,
IDF withdraws progressively from areas occupied since September 28, 2000 and the
two sides restore the status quo that existed prior to September 28, 2000.
Palestinian security forces redeploy to areas vacated by IDF.
Palestinian Institution-Building
— Immediate action on credible process to produce draft
constitution for Palestinian statehood. As rapidly as possible, constitutional
committee circulates draft Palestinian constitution, based on strong
parliamentary democracy and cabinet with empowered prime minister, for public
comment/debate. Constitutional committee proposes draft document for submission
after elections for approval by appropriate Palestinian institutions.
— Appointment of interim prime minister or cabinet with
empowered executive authority/decision-making body.
— GOI fully facilitates travel of
Palestinian officials for PLC ]Palestinian Legislative Council] and Cabinet
sessions, internationally supervised security retraining, electoral and other
reform activity, and other supportive measures related to the reform efforts.
— Continued appointment of Palestinian ministers
empowered to undertake fundamental reform. Completion of further steps to
achieve genuine separation of powers, including any necessary Palestinian legal
reforms for this purpose.
— Establishment of independent Palestinian election
commission. PLC reviews and revises election law.
— Palestinian performance on judicial, administrative,
and economic benchmarks, as established by the International Task Force on
Palestinian Reform.
— As early as possible, and based upon the above measures
and in the context of open debate and transparent candidate selection/electoral
campaign based on a free, multi-party process, Palestinians hold free, open, and
fair elections.
— GOI facilitates Task Force
election assistance, registration of voters, movement of candidates and voting
officials. Support for NGOs involved in the election process.
— GOI reopens Palestinian Chamber
of Commerce and other closed Palestinian institutions in East Jerusalem based on
a commitment that these institutions operate strictly in accordance with prior
agreements between the parties.
Humanitarian Response
— Israel takes measures to improve the humanitarian
situation. Israel and Palestinians implement in full all recommendations of the
Bertini report to improve humanitarian conditions, lifting curfews and easing
restrictions on movement of persons and goods, and allowing full, safe, and
unfettered access of international and humanitarian personnel.
— AHLC [Ad Hoc Liaison Committee] reviews the humanitarian situation and prospects
for economic development in the West Bank and Gaza and launches a
major donor assistance effort, including to the reform effort.
— GOI and PA continue revenue
clearance process and transfer of funds, including arrears, in accordance with
agreed, transparent monitoring mechanism.
Civil Society
— Continued donor support, including increased funding
through PVOs/NGOs, for people to people programs, private sector development and
civil society initiatives.
Settlements
— GOI immediately dismantles
settlement outposts erected since March 2001.
— Consistent with the Mitchell Report, GOI
freezes all settlement activity (including natural growth of settlements).
Phase II: Transition
June 2003-December 2003
In the second phase, efforts are focused on the option of
creating an independent Palestinian state with provisional borders and
attributes of sovereignty, based on the new constitution, as a way station to a
permanent status settlement. As has been noted, this goal can be achieved when
the Palestinian people have a leadership acting decisively against terror,
willing and able to build a practicing democracy based on tolerance and
liberty. With such a leadership, reformed civil institutions and security
structures, the Palestinians will have the active support of the Quartet and the
broader international community in establishing an independent, viable, state.
Progress into Phase II will be based upon the consensus
judgment of the Quartet of whether conditions are appropriate to proceed, taking
into account performance of both parties. Furthering and sustaining efforts to
normalize Palestinian lives and build Palestinian institutions, Phase II starts
after Palestinian elections and ends with possible creation of an independent
Palestinian state with provisional borders in 2003. Its primary goals are
continued comprehensive security performance and effective security cooperation,
continued normalization of Palestinian life and institution-building, further
building on and sustaining of the goals outlined in Phase I, ratification of a
democratic Palestinian constitution, formal establishment of office of prime
minister, consolidation of political reform, and the creation of a Palestinian
state with provisional borders.
— International Conference: Convened by the Quartet, in
consultation with the parties, immediately after the successful conclusion of
Palestinian elections, to support Palestinian economic recovery and launch a
process, leading to establishment of an independent Palestinian state with
provisional borders.
— Such a meeting would be inclusive, based on the goal of
a comprehensive Middle East peace (including between Israel and Syria, and
Israel and Lebanon), and based on the principles described in the preamble to
this document.
— Arab states restore pre-intifada links to Israel
(trade offices, etc.).
— Revival of multilateral engagement on issues
including regional water resources, environment, economic development,
refugees, and arms control issues.
— New constitution for democratic, independent
Palestinian state is finalized and approved by appropriate Palestinian
institutions. Further elections, if required, should follow approval of the new
constitution.
— Empowered reform cabinet with office of prime minister
formally established, consistent with draft constitution.
— Continued comprehensive security performance, including
effective security cooperation on the bases laid out in Phase I.
— Creation of an independent Palestinian state with
provisional borders through a process of Israeli-Palestinian engagement,
launched by the international conference. As part of this process,
implementation of prior agreements, to enhance maximum territorial contiguity,
including further action on settlements in conjunction with establishment of a
Palestinian state with provisional borders.
— Enhanced international role in monitoring transition,
with the active, sustained, and operational support of the Quartet.
— Quartet members promote international recognition of
Palestinian state, including possible UN membership.
Phase III:
Permanent Status Agreement and End of the
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict 2004 2005
Progress into Phase III, based on consensus judgment of
Quartet, and taking into account actions of both parties and Quartet monitoring.
Phase III objectives are consolidation of reform and stabilization of
Palestinian institutions, sustained, effective Palestinian security performance,
and Israeli-Palestinian negotiations aimed at a permanent status agreement in
2005.
— Second International Conference: Convened by Quartet,
in consultation with the parties, at beginning of 2004 to endorse agreement
reached on an independent Palestinian state with provisional borders and
formally to launch a process with the active, sustained, and operational support
of the Quartet, leading to a final, permanent status resolution in 2005,
including on borders, Jerusalem, refugees, settlements; and, to support progress
toward a comprehensive Middle East settlement between Israel and Lebanon and
Israel and Syria, to be achieved as soon as possible.
— Continued comprehensive, effective progress on the
reform agenda laid out by the Task Force in preparation for final status
agreement.
— Continued sustained and effective security performance,
and sustained, effective security cooperation on the bases laid out in Phase I.
— International efforts to facilitate reform and
stabilize Palestinian institutions and the Palestinian economy, in preparation
for final status agreement.
— 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.
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Serious subjects should be discussed seriously. I'm posting this in the
hope that we can all do a better job of understanding this situation if we
refer to the raw text of events like this report. I'm not promulgating
any conclusions here, just providing the source material for you to make up
your own mind...
Sources
1 BBC: Can the new Palestinian government control
militants?: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/2988101.stm
2 BBC Roadmap Transcript: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2989783.stm;
3 Mike's Place News & Memorial : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2989783.stm
Many thanks to enwhysea for Mike's Place information.