May 27, 2003

Palestinian Arab Violations of President Bush's "Road Map" Plan

A Survey of Week #4: May 20, 2003 - May 26, 2003

BACKGROUND:

On June 24, 2002, President Bush set forth the conditions that the
Palestinian Arabs must fulfill in order to merit U.S. support for the
creation of a Palestinian Arab state. Among the major obligations are that
the Palestinian Arabs must "dismantle the terrorist infrastructure," "end
incitement," "elect new leaders not compromised by terror," and
unequivocally embrace democracy and free market economics. None of those
conditions were fulfilled.

In March 2003, Yasir Arafat chose Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), the number two
man in the PLO since the 1960s, as the new prime minister of the Palestinian
Authority. Mazen took office on April 29, 2003. Less than a day later, the
Bush administration unveiled its "Road Map" plan, which set forth conditions
that the Palestinian Arabs must fulfill prior to the creation of a
Palestinian Arab state.

The Road Map stipulates that during the month of May 2003, the Palestinian
Arabs must undertake a series of concrete steps to combat terrorist groups
and democratize Palestinian Arab society. Those obligations are quoted
below.

This report analyzes Palestinian Arab violations of those obligations during
the 4th week following the unveiling of the Road Map plan, May 20 - May 26,
2003.

I. "Cease All Violence"

What They Must Do During May 2003: The Road Map states: "In Phase 1 [May
2003], the Palestinians immediately undertake an unconditional cessation of
violence."

What They Did During Week #4: During week #4, May 20 - May 26, 2003, there
were at least 26 terrorist attacks or attempted attacks, in which 3 people
were wounded. (During the first four weeks since Abu Mazen became prime
minister and the Road Map was published, there have been a total of 98
Palestinian Arab terrorist attacks or attempted attacks, in which 17 people
were murdered and 164 wounded.)

May 20: Shooting attack on the Israeli Army's Sivan base south of Ramallah
... Shooting attack on Israeli soldiers in Tulkarm ... Shooting attack on
Israeli soldiers in Bethlehem ... Shooting attack on Israeli soldiers in
Ramallah ... Shooting attack on Israeli soldiers in Jenin.

May 21: Shooting attack on Israeli soldiers along the Israel-Egypt border,
near Rafah.

May 22: Shooting attack on an Israeli car in the western Negev this
afternoon; one wounded.

May 23: Shooting attack on Israeli soldiers in Gaza.

May 24: Bomb planted at the Gaza Strip security fence ... Shooting attack on
Israeli soldiers near the northern Gaza security fence ... Bomb attack on
Israeli soldiers near Beit Hanoun ... Grenade attack on Israeli soldiers
along the Israel- Egypt border in the Rafah area of the Gaza Strip ...
Shooting attack on Israeli soldiers in Yabed.

May 25: Shooting attack on a military vehicle near Beka'ot Junction in the

Jordan Valley; one wounded ... Bomb planted near the entrance to the Netanya
police station ... Shooting attack on Israeli soldiers near Rafiah ... Three
attacks on Israeli cars near Hebron.

May 26: Two terrorists intercepted on their way to attack Kibbutz Erez ...

Two mortar rockets fired at the town of Gadid ... Shooting attack on Israeli
soldiers at the Israel-Egypt border ... Grenade attack on Israeli soldiers
at the Israel-Egypt border ... Grenade attack on an Israeli Army outpost in
northern Gush Katif; one wounded ... Shooting attacks on two Israeli Army
outposts around Gush Katif.

II. "Call for Recognizing Israel and Ending Violence"

What They Must Do During May 2003: The Road Map obligates the Palestinian
Arabs to "issue an unequivocal statement reiterating Israel's right to exist
in peace and security and calling for an immediate and unconditional
cease-fire to end armed activity and all acts of violence against Israelis
anywhere."

What They Did During Week #4: No such statement was issued by any
Palestinian Arab leader.

After the suicide bombing in Jerusalem in which 7 people were murdered and
21 wounded, the PA issued a statement saying: "In the wake of the suicide
bombings in occupied East Jerusalem, the Palestinian leadership condemned
all acts of violence perpetrated against Israeli and Palestinian civilians
and called for a halt to all attacks against civilians everywhere, with no
exceptions." However, the PA does not regard Israelis beyond the 1967
borders as "civilians"; it characterizes them as "settlers" and as
legitimate targets for violent Arab attacks. Since the bombing took place in
the French Hill section of Jerusalem, which is just beyond the 1967
border -- "occupied East Jerusalem" as the PA put it-- the PA would consider
its victims "settlers" rather than "civilians."

In his first speech as prime minister, delivered before the Palestinian
Legislative Council on April 29, 2003, Abu Mazen made reference to "the need
to end the Arab-Israeli conflict peacefully" but did not issue an
unequivocal statement about Israel's right to exist in peace and security."
Nearly all references to Israel in his speech referred to "Israeli
aggression" and the like. Nor did Abu Mazen's speech call for an end to
violence against Israelis anywhere; he said: "We denounce terrorism by any
party and in all its shapes and forms both because of our religious and
moral traditions and because we are convinced that such methods do not lend
support to a just cause like ours, but rather destroy it." However, since
Abu Mazen and other PA officials have never regarded the murder of Israelis
as terrorism but rather as "legitimate resistance," his statement cannot be
considered a call to Palestinian Arabs to stop murdering Israelis.

In addition, as recently as March 3, 2003, Mazen told the newspaper Al-Sharq
Al-Awsat that the murder of Jews beyond the pre-1967 border is legitimate
because it constitutes an act of opposition to "the occupation."

III. "Arrest, Disrupt, and Restrain Terrorists"

What They Must Do During May 2003: The Road Map obligates the Palestinian
Arabs to "undertake visible efforts on the ground to arrest, disrupt and
restrain individuals and groups conducting and planning violent attacks on
Israelis anywhere."

What They Did During Week #4: There were no reports of any arrests of
terrorists by the Palestinian Authority.

IV. "Confiscate Terrorists' Weapons"

What They Must Do During May 2003: The Road Map obligates the Palestinian
Arabs to "commence confiscation of illegal weapons."

What They Did During Week #4: There were no reports of the PA seizing any
terrorists' weapons. In his first speech as prime minister, delivered before
the Palestinian Legislative Council on April 29, 2003, Abu Mazen said "the
unauthorized possession of weapons, with its direct threat to the security
of the population, is a major concern that will be relentlessly addressed."
He did not say the weapons would be confiscated; he did not even call on
Hamas and Islamic Jihad to surrender their weapons. Moreover, the phrase
"unauthorized" provides a potential loophole, since the PA could "authorize"
Hamas and Islamic Jihad to possess weapons.

V. "Dismantle the Terrorist Infrastructure"

What They Must Do During May 2003: The Road Map obligates the Palestinian
Arabs to carry out the "dismantlement of terrorist capabilities and
infrastructure."

What They Did During Week #4: The PA did not outlaw Hamas, Islamic Jihad,
Fatah, or any other terrorist groups; there were no reports of the PA
shutting down any bomb factories or terrorists' training camps; the PA
continued to ignore Israel's 45 requests for the extradition of terrorists;
there were no reports of the PLO leadership punishing PLO factions that are
engaged in terrorism, such as the Popular Front for the Liberation of
Palestine (PFLP) and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine
(DFLP).

By contrast, on May 20, Israeli forces operating in Shechem (Nablus)
uncovered an explosives laboratory that manufactured material for use in
suicide bombings. The laboratory contained 6 explosive belts, (3 of which
were ready for use), 25kg of T.A.T.P explosives material, and additional
chemicals intended for use in explosive devices. IDF forces also found a
suitcase filled with explosives and ball bearings.

On May 21, Israeli Navy forces confiscated a PA-organized ship of weapons on
its way from Lebanon to Gaza. Computer disks with instructions on how to
construct explosives and details on intended attacks were also found aboard.
Israeli officials said that PA official Adal Mugrabi, who is responsible for
smuggling arms to the PA, and Fathi Razam, deputy commander of the Gaza
naval police, were involved in the smuggling attempt.

VI. "End All Incitement"

What They Must Do During May 2003: The Road Map requires that "all official
Palestinian institutions end incitement against Israel."

What They Did During Week #4: The PA's official newspapers, television, and
radio continued to broadcast a steady stream of anti-Israel, anti-American,
and pro-violence incitement, and PA officials continued to make inciting
statements. In addition, there was no change in the PA's policy of inciting
support for terror by publicly praising terrorists, naming streets after
them, and paying salaries to imprisoned terrorists and their families.
Moreover, in his first speech as prime minister, delivered before the
Palestinian Legislative Council on April 29, 2003, Abu Mazen called the
terrorists imprisoned in Israel "heroes" and demanded that they be set free.

VII. "End Arab States' Support for Terror"

What They Must Do During May 2003: The Road Map states that during May 2003,
"Arab states cut off public and private funding and all other forms of
support for groups supporting and engaging in violence and terror."

What They Did During Week #4: There were no reports of any Arab states
cutting off their support for Palestinian Arab terrorist groups.

VIII. "Consolidate Security Forces"

What They Must Do During May 2003: The Road Map obligates the Palestinian
Arabs to undertake "consolidation of security authority, free of association
with terror and corruption"; and "all Palestinian security organizations are
consolidated into three services reporting to an empowered interior
minister."

What They Did During Week #4: The Israeli daily Ha'aretz reported on May 5,
2003, that "five different PA security organizations, including Force 17 and
the General Intelligence, remain under the direct command of Chairman Yasir
Arafat" and have not been consolidated under the control of the Interior
Minister. Military Intelligence, the National Security Forces, and the naval
forces are also under Arafat's control. Only the remaining two security
agencies are under the Interior Minister. Arafat's five are under the
control of a newly-created agency, the National Security Council, chaired by
Arafat and his close aide Hanni al-Hassan.

IX. "Institute Democratic Reforms"

What They Must Do During May 2003: The Road Map requires the Palestinian
Arabs to undertake a number of steps to transform their brutal, corrupt
dictatorial regime into a full-fledged democracy, including "action on a
credible process to draft constitution for Palestinian statehood"; the
holding of "free, open, and fair elections"; and "steps to achieve genuine
separation of powers, including any necessary Palestinian legal reforms for
this purpose."

What They Did During Week #4: No such steps have yet been taken.
* * *

The Zionist Organization of America, founded in 1897, is the oldest
pro-Israel organization in the United States. The ZOA works to strengthen
U.S.-Israel relations, educates the American public and Congress about the
dangers that Israel faces, and combats anti-Israel bias in the media and on
college campuses. Its past presidents have included Supreme Court Justice
Louis Brandeis and Rabbi Dr. Abba Hillel Silver.