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The Jordanian-Egyptian
Proposal
The following is the text of the Jordanian-Egyptian peace proposal as
presented to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon by Jordanian Foreign
Minister Abd al-Illa al-Hatib.
Reaffirming that achieving a just, comprehensive and lasting peace is
the political priority in the Middle East, Desirous to find the
effective means to end the current crisis, and in order to re-launch
the Peace Process on the right track, by correcting the deficiencies
of the negotiating process,
Jordan and Egypt propose the following:
First: Steps to end the current crisis between Israel and the
Palestinian Authority:
In implementation of the understandings reached at the Sharm El-Sheikh
Summit that convened on 16 and 17 October 2000, and working towards
the return to the state that prevailed prior to September, 2000:
(1) Both parties shall undertake, in one week from this agreement,
concrete steps on each side to diffuse the current crisis, end
confrontation, and restore calm.
(2) Ending the military, (financial), and economic siege, and the
blockade on the free movement of materials and food supplies, imposed
in the West Bank, Jerusalem and Gaza Strip, as well as refraining from
the use of internationally prohibited weapons. This shall be
implemented during the same period.
(3) In parallel, Israel shall withdraw all its military forces, tanks,
armored vehicles, and weapons from their current positions in and
around Palestinian cities, villages, and refugee camps to their
locations that existed in September 2000.
(4) Immediate release and transfer of all outstanding arrears to the
Palestinian Authority.
(5) In parallel to the implementation of all the above-mentioned
steps, the Political/Security Committee at the high officials' level
shall convene to monitor this implementation.
Second: Confidence Building Measures:
In the light of the current climate of distrust, both parties will
adopt measures aiming at restoring trust and confidence between the
Palestinian and Israeli peoples, through resuming the faithful
implementation of their commitments as agreed on or stipulated in the
signed agreements, including:
a) The immediate resumption of implementing all articles of the Sharm
El-Sheikh memorandum signed on 5 September, 1999.
b) Total and immediate freeze of all settlement activities including
those in East Jerusalem.
c) Mutual implementation of all security commitments.
d) The protection of all holy places and religious sites.
e) Mutual implementation of all other commitments as agreed upon by
both parties.
Third: Rebuilding the negotiating process on the Palestinian Track:
In conjunction with the confidence building measures and the
previously mentioned steps in item "First" which aims at ending the
current crisis, both parties shall decide to resume work on all items
on the agenda for the permanent status negotiations including:
Jerusalem/ Palestinian Refugees/ Borders/ Settlements/ Security/
Water/ all other basic issues, with no exception or prejudice
according to signed agreements with the aim of implementing fully
Security Council Resolution 242 and 338. Both Parties agree that they
will conclude these negotiations within one year from the date of
their resumption.
The negotiations between both parties 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.
Fourth: To guarantee the adherence of both parties to the strict and
faithful implementation of the above mentioned items, it is proposed
that the sponsors of the Peace Process, the European Union, Egypt,
Jordan and the Secretary General of the United Nations shall monitor
this implementation and its progress.
Introduction
During the period after the breakdown of the Camp David Summit,
Israeli General Ariel Sharon visited the Temple Mount, in late
September 2000. This provoked a wave of Palestinian violence and
Israeli counter attacks that led to suspension of negotiations and of
security cooperation, as well as to election of Ariel Sharon as Prime
Minister of Israel. In April, 2001, the Jordanian and Egyptian
governments, who are the leaders of the only Arab nations to have
signed peace treaties with Israel, submitted the proposal below for
cessation of violence and resumption of negotiations. This text is
abridged and unofficial as published in the Israeli newspaper
Ha'aretz. As of this writing, the complete and official text is not
available.
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