Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer has added his voice to those of Prime Minister Sharon and Foreign Minister Peres in stating that the Egyptian-Jordanian proposal for resuming the peace process may well serve as a basis for continued talks. Ben-Eliezer told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee this afternoon that the proposal is a \"worthy\" one, although changes would be required. He emphasized that talks would not be held while the violence rages. Sharon told his security cabinet yesterday that the proposal \"is important, but the content is not good enough and needs to be changed somewhat.\" Peres, too, told visiting Belgian Foreign Minister Louis Michel that Israel is ready to discuss the proposal: \"The initiative can serve as a basis, but the details need to be worked on.\"
The Egyptian-Jordanian initiative, officially presented to Prime Minister Sharon last week by Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdel Illa al-Hatib, proposes that both sides undertake \"concrete steps on each side to diffuse the current crisis, end confrontation, and restore calm.\" These steps are not itemized. On the other hand, Israel is called upon to end \"the military and economic siege and the blockade on the free movement of materials and food supplies.\" Israel shall also \"withdraw all its military forces... from their current positions in and around Palestinian [locations] to their locations that existed in September 2000.\" Furthermore, Israel shall effect the \"immediate release and transfer of all outstanding arrears to the Palestinian Authority.\"
In addition, according to the Egyptian-Jordanian proposal, Israel must effect the \"total and immediate freeze of all settlement activities, including those in [eastern] Jerusalem.\" The sides would commit themselves, though it is not detailed how, to the \"mutual implementation of all security commitments\" and \"the \"protection of all holy places and religious sites.\" Final-status negotiations would resume on the issues of Jerusalem, refugees, borders, settlements, security, water, and \"all other basic issues,\" with the aim of concluding the talks within one year. Despite claims to the contrary by Bill Clinton, Ehud Barak, Ariel Sharon, George Bush, and others, the proposal specifies that these talks \"must be based on the need to preserve and develop the progress that has been achieved during the period from November 1999 until January 2001, including all rounds of bilateral negotiations, the Camp David Summit and its aftermath, until the Taba round of negotiations on 21-28 January 2001.\"
The Egyptian-Jordanian initiative, officially presented to Prime Minister Sharon last week by Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdel Illa al-Hatib, proposes that both sides undertake \"concrete steps on each side to diffuse the current crisis, end confrontation, and restore calm.\" These steps are not itemized. On the other hand, Israel is called upon to end \"the military and economic siege and the blockade on the free movement of materials and food supplies.\" Israel shall also \"withdraw all its military forces... from their current positions in and around Palestinian [locations] to their locations that existed in September 2000.\" Furthermore, Israel shall effect the \"immediate release and transfer of all outstanding arrears to the Palestinian Authority.\"
In addition, according to the Egyptian-Jordanian proposal, Israel must effect the \"total and immediate freeze of all settlement activities, including those in [eastern] Jerusalem.\" The sides would commit themselves, though it is not detailed how, to the \"mutual implementation of all security commitments\" and \"the \"protection of all holy places and religious sites.\" Final-status negotiations would resume on the issues of Jerusalem, refugees, borders, settlements, security, water, and \"all other basic issues,\" with the aim of concluding the talks within one year. Despite claims to the contrary by Bill Clinton, Ehud Barak, Ariel Sharon, George Bush, and others, the proposal specifies that these talks \"must be based on the need to preserve and develop the progress that has been achieved during the period from November 1999 until January 2001, including all rounds of bilateral negotiations, the Camp David Summit and its aftermath, until the Taba round of negotiations on 21-28 January 2001.\"