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| By Israel Insider staff November 27, 2007 |
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As Israeli PM Ehud Olmert and West Bank leader Mahmoud Abbas meeting with US President George Bush, Channel Two Mideast expert Ehud Yaari reports that one of the few points of agreements that the two sides have reached is that the US will become the judge of all outstanding disputes, effectively putting the Americans in the position to dictate a solution to the Israelis and the Palestinians.
Bush began his speech by reading the joint statement, stumbling over the names of the Israeli and Palestinian leaders.
The statement did not include a definition of Israel as a Jewish state, which Olmert said he would insist upon as a requirement of any such statement. He apparently gave in to American pressure, and had to content himself with Bush referring to Israel as the "Jewish homeland."
Most significantly, the joint statement said that the United States would "monitor and judge" implementation of the roadmap, and that "implementation of the future peace treaty will be subject to the implementation of the road map, as judged by the United States."
While this represents an improvement from the roadmap, where the Quartet -- the US, UN, EU and Russia -- was to be the arbiter, it effectively hands the future of Israel to the United States, since it can be safely assumed that the Israelis and Palestinians will not be able to agree about anything. This is the trap that has been sprung on Israel.
The statement said that the goal was to reach a Peace Treaty by the end of 2008, just over thirteen months.
"Today, Palestinians and Israelis each understand that helping the other to realize their aspirations is the key to realizing their own, and both require an independent, democratic, viable Palestinian state," Bush said.
Addressing criticism that the timing of the initiative is not propitious, Bush demurred. "The time is right because a battle is under way for the future of the Middle East and we must not cede victory to the extremists," Bush was due to say in remarks released before his speech by White House aides. "The time is right because the world understands the urgency of supporting these negotiations."
Bush, using new language, said that Israel must "end the occupation that began in 1967" without referring to his 2004 letter that said that it was unrealistic to expect that Israel will leave all such areas.
Following is the full text of the joint statement:
The representatives of the government of the state of Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization, represented respective by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, and President Mahmoud Abbas in his capacity as Chairman of the PLO Executive Committee and President of the Palestinian Authority, have convened in Annapolis, Maryland, under the auspices of President George W. Bush of the United States of America, and with the support of the participants of this international conference, having concluded the following joint understanding.
We express our determination to bring an end to bloodshed, suffering and decades of conflict between our peoples; to usher in a new era of peace, based on freedom, security, justice, dignity, respect and mutual recognition; to propagate a culture of peace and nonviolence; to confront terrorism and incitement, whether committed by Palestinians or Israelis. In furtherance of the goal of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security, we agree to immediately launch good-faith bilateral negotiations in order to conclude a peace treaty, resolving all outstanding issues, including all core issues without exception, as specified in previous agreements.
We agree to engage in vigorous, ongoing and continuous negotiations, and shall make every effort to conclude an agreement before the end of 2008. For this purpose, a steering committee, led jointly by the head of the delegation of each party, will meet continuously, as agreed. The steering committee will develop a joint work plan and establish and oversee the work of negotiations teams to address all issues, to be headed by one lead representative from each party. The first session of the steering committee will be held on 12 December 2007.
President Abbas and Prime Minister Olmert will continue to meet on a bi-weekly basis to follow up the negotiations in order to offer all necessary assistance for their advancement.
The parties also commit to immediately implement their respective obligations under the performance-based road map to a permanent two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, issued by the Quartet on 30 April 2003 -- this is called the road map -- and agree to form an American, Palestinian and Israeli mechanism, led by the United States, to follow up on the implementation of the road map.
The parties further commit to continue the implementation of the ongoing obligations of the road map until they reach a peace treaty. The United States will monitor and judge the fulfillment of the commitment of both sides of the road map. Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, implementation of the future peace treaty will be subject to the implementation of the road map, as judged by the United States.
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