[PA talks, Israel gives, Quartet winks]- Draft law of Middle East roadmap
Gulf News online edition 17 April 2003
http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=84540
[With thanks to www.mideastweb.org ]
[IMRA: As advertised, the roadmap in its current form requires:
+ Palestinians to make declarations, photo opportunities as it "starts"
various activities but doesn't actually require them to achieve anything
+ Israel to immediately stop defending itself (all terrorists are
"civilians" and Israel is not to attack "civilians" ) and the Government of
Israel is not supposed to publish any material regarding Palestinian
violations ("incitement against Palestinians").
As for supervision:
+ The Quartet decides if the Palestinians are complying - and to make sure
that the fix is in, they are to judge based on "taking into account
performance of both parties". So if the Palestinians murder Israelis and
decline to dismantle the terror infrastructure while an Israeli extends his
patio in Ramat Eshkol in eastern Jerusalem the Quartet can rule that both
sides have been equally in noncompliance/compliance and move on to the next
stage.
The draft also sets that the Palestinian state will be an independent
state - something President Bush never explicitly said.]
Phase I
Ending terror and violence, normalising 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. Palestinian
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 normalise 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.
* Israel also freezes all settlement activity, consistent with the
Mitchell report.
* At the outset of Phase I, the 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
commitments 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.
* Israel takes no actions undermining trust, including deportations,
attack 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., Egypt, Jordan). Quartet support for efforts to
achieve a lasting, comprehensive ceasefire.
* All Palestinian security organisations are consolidated into three
services reporting to an empowered Interior Minister.
* Restructured/retained Palestinian security forces and IDF
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 redeploys 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 upon strong parliamentary
democracy and cabinet with empowered prime minister, for public
comment/debate. Constitutional building 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 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 elections 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 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 areas, in accordance with agreed, transparent monitoring
mechanism.
Civil Society
* Continued donor support, including increased funding through
PVOs/NGOs, for people to people programmes, private sector development, and
civil society initiatives.
Colonies
* GOI immediately dismantles colony outposts erected since March 2001.
* Consistent with the Mitchell Report, GOI freezes all colony activity
(including natural growth of colonies).
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 normalise 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 normalisation 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 upon the goal of a
comprehensive Middle East peace (including between Israel and Syria, and
Israel and Lebanon), and based upon 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
finalised 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 stabilisation
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, Occupied
Jerusalem, refugees, colonies 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 basis laid out in Phase I.
* International efforts to facilitate reform and stabilise Palestinian
institutions and the Palestinian economic, 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 Occupied 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.
* Arab state acceptance of full normal relations with Israel and
security for all the states of the region in the context of a compressive
Arab-Israeli peace.
| 
