Netanyahu's "3 Conditions" & Bush Statement

Aaron Lerner Date: 14 April 2004

The following is IMRA's unofficial translation of the text of Treasury
Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's speech at the Federation of Israeli Chambers
of Commerce - Tel Aviv 21 March 2004 where he presented his 3 conditions
and President Bush's statement today:
( www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/04/20040414-2.html 0

...
Netanyahu: 1. The first condition is security arrangements and freedom of
security action, and foremost the retention of land, sea and air passages
under absolute Israeli control. We must not permit broken borders through
which terrorists from around the world will reach the Strip and turn Gaza
into a terror base against Israel and the world. For these purposes Israel
must be assured, on the international front, freedom of action to destroy
terror. This is a condition that the American Government can, and should,
agree to.

Bush: The United States understands that after Israel withdraws from Gaza
and/or parts of the West Bank, and pending agreements on other arrangements,
existing arrangements regarding control of airspace, territorial waters, and
land passages of the West Bank and Gaza will continue.

IMRA: It is not clear what the statement that the U.S. "understands" means.
"Pending agreements on other arrangements" - who are the parties to these
"agreements" who sets them?

Netanyahu: 2. The second condition is the completion of the security fence
in Judea and Samaria. The fence will give security to Israel. This fence
should include within it the Jerusalem- Tel Aviv Road 443, the Greater Ariel
Bloc, Maaleh Adumim and the Etzion Bloc - the concentrations of most of the
Israelis in Judea and Samaria. These cities and communities are the very
heart of Israel, and the first line of defense of Netanya and Tel Aviv, Kfar
Sava and Jerusalem. There is no budget problem here. The Treasurer makes
available everything that is need for the completion of the fence to the
last Shekel. And before the fence is competed from the Gilboa to the slopes
of the Hebron Hills with the settlement blocs within them - there should be
no withdrawal and not even one centimeter in the Gaza Strip. This is a
necessary condition for the daily security of the residents of Israel - a
condition that the American Government, that is well aware of the dangers of
terrors, can and should agree to.

Bush: As the Government of Israel has stated, the barrier being erected by
Israel should be a security rather than political barrier, should be
temporary rather than permanent, and therefore not prejudice any final
status issues including final borders, and its route should take into
account, consistent with security needs, its impact on Palestinians not
engaged in terrorist activities.

IMRA: Not clear about location - nor timing.

Netanyahu 3. The third condition is official and public American opposition
to the right of return, that means the destruction of Israel. The erasing
of the right of return from the international agenda will deny from the
Palestinians any reason to dance on the roofs. When the strong power in the
world stands with Israel on this matter it is a message to the Palestinians
that is clear and incontrovertible: they will understand that Israel may
have withdrawn from the Gaza Strip, but they will have to withdraw from
their fantasy. America opposition to the right of return - is also a
condition that the American Government can, and should agree to.

Bush: It seems clear that an agreed, just, fair and realistic framework for
a solution to the Palestinian refugee issue as part of any final status
agreement will need to be found through the establishment of a Palestinian
state, and the settling of Palestinian refugees there, rather than in
Israel.

IMRA: "It seems clear".

====
Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(Mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
Website: http://www.imra.org.il