Bush’s vision about two-state solution faces stiff Israeli resistence

TEL AVIV, March 16 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – In a move ridding the so-called ‘road map’ of any meaning or essence, Israel removed all mention of “independent Palestinian state” from the quartet peace plan, which U.S. President George W. Bush vowed to implement few days ago.  

Presenting “stiff terms” for moving beyond the first stage of the plan to the second stage in which a Palestinian state will eventually be formed within temporary borders, Israel gave its official response to the map, according to Israeli daily Ha’aretz Sunday, March 16.  

“Progress will require complete cessation of violence and terrorism, full disarmament of terrorist organizations, the complete collection of illegal weapons and the emergence of a new Palestinian leadership”, according to Ha’aretz newspaper.

The Israeli terms were formulated by an inter-ministerial team comprising Dov Weisglass, the director of the Prime Minister's Office, and representatives from the Defense and Foreign Ministries.

Israel also replaced the term “Independent” Palestinian state with “certain attributes of sovereignty” in its response to the “roadmap”.

Ha’aretz reported that any such state, which is to be established along temporary borders should be “credible” and “load abiding”.  

The term “independent”, mentioned in the "road map", prepared by the Quartet - the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia, requires some clarification, according to the Israeli response.

Israeli officials pointed out that the term was also omitted from George Bush's June 24, 2002 speech upon which the road map is based.

Israel also rejected the demand of immediate removal of all illegal outposts set up in the occupied Palestinian territories during the government of Ariel Sharon.  

For the first time, in this document, Israel delineated the terms under which it will agree to a freeze in settlement activity "following a continuous and comprehensive security calm."

The document rejected a further withdrawal in the West Bank, according to the Oslo Accords, and the removal of settlements in order to grant territorial continuity to a Palestinian state - even during the stage of the temporary borders.

President George Bush announced Friday that the U.S. would present the two sides with the road map immediately after the appointment of a Palestinian prime minister with "genuine responsibilities."

The version that will be presented to the two sides will be the updated one from December 20, which was given to the two sides unofficially, according to diplomatic sources in Israel.

The U.S. will receive the comments from the two sides and will encourage them to begin direct dialogue on the plan, only after the road map is officially presented will the U.S.

Australia Hails Roadmap

In a separate related development, the U.S. decision to unveil a “roadmap” for a permanent two-state solution to the Middle East crisis is highly praised by Australia, according to Agence France Presse (AFP).  

"Let us all hope that old hatreds can be abandoned and that President Bush's statement marks a breakthrough in resolving a conflict that has gone on for more than 50 years now," Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said.

Australia, one of the strongest international supporters of Bush's campaign to attack and invade Iraq, has already welcomed the appointment of Abu Mazen as Prime Minister and Mazen's appointment is expected to be confirmed soon.

"Australia has an abiding commitment to Israel's right to exist within secure and recognized borders. A viable Palestinian state is an essential part of a peace settlement," Downer added.