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.
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.
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