Assistant Secretary of State William Burns

OCCIPUIED JERUSALEM, October 25 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) – Israeli political commentator Aluf Benn published Friday October 25 in the Israeli Haarezt newspaper the full-fledged U.S.-drafted "roadmap" peace plan.

The plan was presented to Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon during his latest visit to the United States and is being marketed to the leaders of the region as well as the Palestinians by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State William Burns, currently on a 12-leg Mideast tour.

According to Benn, the agreement to be ironed out by virtue of  the new overture "will be reached through negotiations and lead to establishing of an independent and democratic Palestinian state living, side by side with Israel and other neighbors in peace."

The would-be agreement will end the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories in accordance with the Madrid Conference, the land-for-peace swap, the UN Security Council resolutions 338, 242 and 1297, and previously signed agreements and the Arab peace initiative tabled by Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah Ben Abdel Aziz and endorsed by the Beirut Arab summit.

Following is a detailed account of the American plan:

Phase A: October 2002- May 2003:

First: October-December 2002:

• The Arab group drafts a detailed roadmap in consultation with the parties, to be endorsed by the quartet committee and the Palestinians donor countries in December.

• The installment of a new Palestinian government, with the creation of a prime minister post with viable authorities, which include the wanted constitutional amendments.

• The Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) names a panel to draft the constitution of the Palestinian state.

• The Palestinian Authority appoints an independent election panel, and the PLC drafts a new election law.

• The donor countries panel offers financial and moral support

• The Palestinian leadership publishes a statement openly recognizing Israel's right to live in peace and security, demands an immediate halt of the armed uprising and all violent activities against Israelis everywhere and stops anti-Israel incitement by all Palestinian institutions.

• The U.S., in tandem with the quartet committee, rebuilds, trains and creates a security cooperation plan with the participation of an outside monitoring panel (U.S., Egypt and Jordan).

• Unifying Palestinian security forces in three agencies under the supervision of an authorized interior minister.

• The Palestinian security forces, that will be rebuilt and trained, and Israeli opposite numbers start, gradually, resuming security cooperation and other assignments outlined by the Tenet blueprint, including high-level meetings with the participation of American security officials.

• The Israeli government allows Palestinians movement to participate in PLC sessions and allows Palestinian security forces to join hands in exercises, under international monitoring, and gives them unfettered ability to handle other issues.

• Israel applies the report of the UN special envoy on improving the humanitarian conditions of the Palestinians, including the lifting of curfews and facilitating movement in the Palestinian areas.

• Israel stops all acts, hampering confidence building, including attacks on civil areas, confiscating and demolishing Palestinians' houses and property, expulsion of Palestinians, whether this comes in the form of reprisal measures or for Israeli construction purposes.

• The Israeli government resumes immediately transfer of monthly tax proceeds. Israel transfers to the Palestinian Finance Ministry all dues until December 2002, according to a timetable to be determined.

• Arab countries work, with determination, to stop personal and popular funding for "extremist" groups and channel support to the Palestinian people via the Palestinian Finance Ministry.

• Israel dismantles settlement outposts erected since the installment of the incumbent Israeli government.

 Second: January-May 2003:

• Political reforms continue to enhance the PLC, the Palestinian premier and government.

• The independent panel publishes the draft Palestinian constitution based on solid democratic and parliamentary grounds to receive remarks and comments.

• Reforms are introduced to the municipal authorities based on a new municipal legislation.

• The quartet committee installs a monitoring apparatus.

• Palestinians heed demands of the international task force in the judicial, administrative and economic fields.

• As security cooperation proceeds ahead, the Israeli army withdraws gradually from areas occupied since December 28, 2000. Israeli withdrawal to be completed before the Palestinian elections. Palestinian security forces are deployed in areas evacuated by the Israeli army.

• The Israeli government allows the international task force to offer assistance  in preparing for the Palestinian elections and registering voters.

• The Israeli government reopens the Palestinian trade office in East Jerusalem as well as other Palestinian economic institutions in eastern Jerusalem.

• The Palestinian constitution panel completes the drafting of the constitution for endorsement by the PLC before the elections.

• Israelis and Palestinians complete the new security cooperation, based on the Tenet blueprint, including the setting up of a viable security apparatus, ending terrorism, violence and incitement by the Palestinian security apparatus that will be effectively re-built.

• The Israeli government freezes all settlement activities according to the Mitchell report, including the natural growth of settlements.

• Palestinians hold free, open and fair parliamentary elections.

• Regional support: after the withdrawal of the Israeli army to pre-September 28, 2000, lines, Egypt and Jordan return their ambassadors to Israel.

Phase B: June-December  2003:

The phase B is pursued upon a decision from the quartet committee with the assistance of a permanent supervision apparatus in the areas if appropriate circumstances are viable for making headway, taking into consideration the parties' implementation of the missions under the quartet supervision.

The phase B starts after the Palestinian elections and ends with the establishment of a viable Palestinian state with provisional borders by the end of 2003.

• The quartet holds an international conference with the approval of the parties concerned immediately after the successful Palestinian election to support the re-building of the Palestinian economy, launching negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians on the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state with provisional borders.

• The conference must be comprehensive with the aim of realizing all-out peace in the Middle East (including between Israel and Syrian and Lebanon) based on the afore-mentioned principles.

• Relations between Arabs and Israel are restored to their pre-Intifada level (like setting up trade representations).

• Multi-lateral talks are resumed (about the issues of water, environment, economic progress, refugees and arms monitoring).

•  The elected Palestinian Legislative Council ratifies the constitution of the independent and democratic Palestinian state.

• Security cooperation continues, all illegal arms are confiscated and all armed groups dismantled in conformity with the security agreement.

• Israeli-Palestinian negotiations are held to set up a Palestinian state with provisional borders and previous agreements implemented with the aim of guaranteeing regional interaction.

• Interim agreements expire, a Palestinian state established within provisional borders until the end of 2003 and enhance international supervision on moving ahead to the other phase.

• Another step implemented in settlements in accordance with the establishment of the state within provisional borders.

Phase C: 2004-2005:  

• Another step implemented in settlements in accordance with the establishment of the state within provisional borders.  

• Moving ahead to the third phase upon a decision by the quartet committee taking into consideration the parties' implementation of the assigned missions under the quartet's supervision

• A second international conference: The Quartet holds, with the approval of the parties, an international conference at the beginning of 2004 to endorse the agreement on the establishment of a state within provisional borders, negotiations start between Israelis and Palestinians on a durable, final and comprehensive agreement, to be realized in2005, including an agreement on borders Jerusalem, refugees and settlements. Supporting progress towards a comprehensive agreement in the Middle East between Israel and Syrian and Lebanon, to be completed as soon as possible

• Effective and acceptable security cooperation continues according to the new security agreement and previous ones

• Arab countries get normal relations with Israel and countries of the region enjoy security in accordance with the Arab peace initiative

• U.S. Roadmap Without Guarantees Not Credible: Palestinians

• Erakat Slams “General” Tone of New Mideast Peace Roadmap

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