Palestine-Mandate

Here are excerpts from the Israeli-Palestinian Joint Understanding that U.S. President George Bush read out at the Annapolis Conference on 27 Novemer 2007:

“We express our determination to bring an end to bloodshed, suffering and decades of conflict between our peoples; to usher in a new era of peace, based on freedom, security, justice, dignity, respect and mutual recognition; to propagate a culture of peace and nonviolence; to confront terrorism and incitement, whether committed by Palestinians or Israelis.

“In furtherance of the goal of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security, we agree to immediately launch good-faith bilateral [negotiations] in order to conclude a peace treaty resolving all outstanding issues, including all core issues without exception, as specified in previous agreements.

“We agree to engage in vigorous, ongoing and continuous negotiations and shall make every effort to conclude an agreement before the end of 2008.

“For this purpose, a steering committee led jointly be the head of the delegation of each party will meet continuously as agreed” — starting on 12 December. The steering committee will … oversee the work of negotiations teams to address all issues, to be headed by one lead representative from each party. [In addition] President Abbas and Prime Minister Olmert will continue to meet on a biweekly basis to follow up the negotiations in order to offer all necessary assistance for their advancement.

“The parties also commit to immediately implement their respective obligations under the performance-based road map to a permanent two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict … and agree to form an American, Palestinian and Israeli mechanism led by the United States to follow up on the implementation of the road map. The parties further commit to continue the implementation of the ongoing obligations of the road map until they reach a peace treaty”.

In a very far-reaching decision, the two sides have apparently agreed that it will be the U.S. who will be the prosecutor, judge, and jury. The Joint Declaration concludes by saying that “The United States will monitor and judge the fulfillment of the commitment of both sides of the road map. Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, implementation of the future peace treaty will be subject to the implementation of the road map, as judged by the United States.”

The text of the Joint Declaration is here.