Bait and Switch Crown Prince Abdullah is getting a lot of media attention for his proposed peace initiative, which offers complete normalizations of relations between Israel and the arab nations in return for an Israeli pull back to the 1967 boundaries.
Or does it?
It seems that the idea floated by the Crown Prince has changed drastically. The text of the draft proposal may be found here.
The Arab summit calls for:_ complete withdrawal from the Arab lands occupied in 1967, including a full withdrawal from the Syrian Golan and from all the lands that are still occupied in south Lebanon, to the borders of June 4th, 1967.
_ acceptance to reach a fair solution to the problem of Palestinian refugees that will be agreed upon in accordance with U.N. Resolution 194.
_ acceptance of an independent sovereign Palestinian state on the Palestinian lands occupied since June 4, 1967, in the West Bank and Gaza Strip (news - web sites), with holy Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with U.N. Security Council resolution 1379.
In return, the Arab countries assert the following:
_ to consider the Arab-Israeli conflict over and to reach a treaty to cement this between them (the Arab countries) and Israel.
Looks like the right of return has quietly slipped back into the picture, which is an automatic deal breaker as far as Israel is concerned. Go here to read the text of resolution 194. One excerpt:
11. Resolves that the refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property which, under principles of international law or in equity, should be made good by the Governments or authorities responsible;Instructs the Conciliation Commission to facilitate the repatriation, resettlement and economic and social rehabilitation of the refugees and the payment of compensation, and to maintain close relations with the Director of the United Nations Relief for Palestine Refugees and, through him, with the appropriate organs and agencies of the United Nations;
Not only does the Arab plan call for the right of return, it also calls for Israel to pay compensation for the refugees who decide not to return. Interestingly enough, Resolution 194 also calls for Jerusalem to be placed under UN control, not installed as the capitol of Palestine.
8. Resolves that, in view of its association with three world religions, the Jerusalem area, including the present municipality of Jerusalem plus the surrounding villages and towns, the most eastern of which shall be Abu Dis; the most southern, Bethlehem, the most western, Ein Karim (including also the built-up area of Motsa); and the most northern Shu'fat, should be accorded special and separate treatment from the rest of Palestine and should be placed under effective United Nations control;Requests the Security Council to take further steps to ensure the demilitarization of Jerusalem at the earliest possible date;
Instructs the Commission to present to the fourth regular session of the General Assembly detailed proposals for a permanent international régime for the Jerusalem area which will provide for the maximum local autonomy for distinctive groups consistent with the special international status of the Jerusalem area;
This would appear to conflict with the claim of the Arabs that Jerusalem should be the capitol of Palestine according to U.N. Security Council resolution 1379. I looked up this resolution. It says nothing about Jerusalem, but instead deals with "Children and armed conflict." In fact, a search of UN Security Council resolutions turns up nothing which states that Jerusalem should be the capitol of Palestine.
Well, maybe the Crown Prince was confused. Let's continue on with this draft of the proposal.
When Abdullah first floated this idea during an interview with Thomas friedman, he used the term "full normalization" of relations with Israel. This term has a very specific meaning, which includes the exchanging of ambassadors, the establishment of embassies, all predicated on the acceptance of Israel as a legal entity. Naturally, there is strong resistance to this proposition among Arab states, and we see in the draft resolution, that the term does not appear. Instead, we get the mealy-mouthed, "to consider the Arab-Israeli conflict over and to reach a treaty to cement this between them (the Arab countries) and Israel."
Quite a large step back from the initial proposal.
As I commented here back when the story first came out, the proposal is another smoke screen on the part of the Arabs in an attempt to look like they are interested in peace.
To make things worse, it looks like half the Arab nations will not be represented at the conference. Must not want to be seen agreeing or disagreeing with the proposal.
Posted by Rich at March 27, 2002 2:20 AM