The proposed Geneva agreement, an unofficial document between several left-wing past and present MKs, such as Yossi Beilin, and PA officials, will be made available for each and every member of the Israeli public to judge. The agreement, in the form of a 70-page booklet, will be mailed to almost every home in Israel beginning next week.
If some MKs have their way, however, the agreement will become illegal. Likud MK Moshe Kachlon has proposed a bill that is a precise adaptation of the United States' Logan Act, banning unauthorized persons from holding diplomatic contacts with the representatives of foreign entities. The Logan Act of 1799 stipulates that a U.S. citizen who "without authority of the United States... carries out any correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government... with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government... in relations to any disputes or controversies with the United States" is liable to a fine of $5,000 and/or imprisonment of up to three years."
Minister Uzi Landau, who is attempting to hasten the bill's legislative process, says, "The Geneva agreement is the act of people who were defeated in popular elections. Every democracy must know how to protect itself."
The Geneva agreement calls for Israel to cede sovereignty over the Temple Mount and parts of Jerusalem as well as almost all of Judea, Samaria and Gaza; to dismantle most of the communities in Yesha and expel 100,000 residents; and to complete this withdrawal within 30 months - with no timetable for the PA's disbanding of its "irregular forces or armed bands." Israel's Air Force is even prevented from patrolling the airspace over Yesha.
Senior PA official Fares Kadura, who was named a minister in the PA's new government this week, took part in the negotiations for the agreement, and has said that the agreement's only purpose was to cause internal squabbling in Israel.
If some MKs have their way, however, the agreement will become illegal. Likud MK Moshe Kachlon has proposed a bill that is a precise adaptation of the United States' Logan Act, banning unauthorized persons from holding diplomatic contacts with the representatives of foreign entities. The Logan Act of 1799 stipulates that a U.S. citizen who "without authority of the United States... carries out any correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government... with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government... in relations to any disputes or controversies with the United States" is liable to a fine of $5,000 and/or imprisonment of up to three years."
Minister Uzi Landau, who is attempting to hasten the bill's legislative process, says, "The Geneva agreement is the act of people who were defeated in popular elections. Every democracy must know how to protect itself."
The Geneva agreement calls for Israel to cede sovereignty over the Temple Mount and parts of Jerusalem as well as almost all of Judea, Samaria and Gaza; to dismantle most of the communities in Yesha and expel 100,000 residents; and to complete this withdrawal within 30 months - with no timetable for the PA's disbanding of its "irregular forces or armed bands." Israel's Air Force is even prevented from patrolling the airspace over Yesha.
Senior PA official Fares Kadura, who was named a minister in the PA's new government this week, took part in the negotiations for the agreement, and has said that the agreement's only purpose was to cause internal squabbling in Israel.