American "NonPaper" Describing Israel/PA Positions

The following is IMRA's translation of the "non-paper" prepared by the Clinton Administration outlining the positions of Israel and the Palestinians before the summit as published in Hebrew in Yediot Ahronot today:

AMERICAN REPORT - FULL TEXT

1. Jordan River and bridges: Under Palestinian sovereignty, but an international observer force, that will include a large Israeli unit, will be stationed there. The Palestinians have proposed UN forces instead of the above force.

2. Jordan Valley: Under Palestinian sovereignty, but Israel leases it under a long-term lease (the Palestinians have yet to agree to this). Likewise, it will be agreed in advance that in the case of an Arab attack from the East, Israeli military forces stationed in Beit Shean and Maaleh Adumim can redeploy to three to four areas in the Valley without requiring Palestinian consent.

3. Right of return: We have the apparatus and the programs. The problem is solved for all practical purposes. We have a vague wording that meets Arab demands for the right of return but it will be so limited in numbers and additional limitations that it will not have any real significance such that it will meet the needs of the Palestinians without causing concern to Israel.

4. Jerusalem: The Prime Minister [Barak] is still torn between the "interim agreement" approach of [Chaim] Ramon and the alternative approach proposed by [Shlomo] Ben Ami and [Oded] Eran. There has however been progress in convincing the Prime Minister that an interim solution of the eastern Jerusalem issue by classifying it as a kind of Area B will not suffice. Barak is beginning to understand that the People of Israel are ripe for a permanent agreement within which there is the transfer of Arab neighborhoods to Palestinian sovereignty with the annexation of Jewish areas by Israel. This will improve the demographic balance. It should also be understood that it is impossible to call an agreement that leaves the problem of Jerusalem unresolved as "an agreement ending the conflict". Everyone, even [Minister] Yitzchak Levy [NRP], understands that in the end it will be necessary to draw new borders - so why not deal with this reality now. In any case, this matter requires a Knesset vote in accordance with the law ("Kahalani Law" [Golan Law]), that sets that the transfer of territory subject to Israeli law, jurisprudence and sovereignty requires a 61 MK majority and a national referendum.

5. Land swap: The Prime Minister still virulently opposes this, but Indyk [American Ambassador] believes that Barak will have to reassess his position if he want to reach an agreement. The swapping of territory is difficult to implement in accordance with Israeli law and may open a Pandora's box, but the negotiators understand that without it the chances of reaching an agreement are slim. [Mohamed] Dahlan [head of Preventive Security in Gaza] says that if there is a land swap the Palestinians would be prepared to accept settlement blocs covering 4% of the area of the [West] Bank.

6. National referendum: The United States receives the internal polls done by the Prime Minister according to which Barak can attain a 72-75% majority for an agreement with three elements: an end to the Palestinian-Israeli dispute; leaving most settlers under Israeli sovereignty; leaving Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty. A national referendum will be carried out according to the French example [of 1962], when De Gaulle won a national referendum [on withdrawal from Algeria] after he declared that "a vote against the national referendum is a vote against me and if I lose I will resign."

7. Financial aid from overseas:

+ Refugees: Over 100 billion dollars will be invested in the rehabilitation of refugees over the course of 10 - 20 years according to the following breakdown: 40 billion for the Palestinians, $40 billion for Jordan, $10 billion for Lebanon and $10 billion for Syria. The funds, of which 25% is American, will go to a new international body (and not the World Bank or the IMF), that will replace UNWRA [that today deals with the Palestinian refugees]. This body will transfer the funds for collective and individual compensation.

+ Israel's security: Israel will receive less than the $17 billion it asked for for leaving the Golan, but not much less than that. The aid will include the main elements of the Golan package that were not specifically earmarked to the Golan as well as funding for the erection of fences and additional costs directly associated with the agreement in the West Bank and Gaza.

+ Palestinian infrastructure: The amount of aid for the establishment of a new state is not set. The allocation of less than $5 billion for water infrastructure over a 20 year period is not a serious problem.

8. Settlers not in settlement blocs: We are struggling for the rights of the 40,0000 settlers living outside of the settlement blocs to remain in their homes under Palestinian sovereignty - if they so desire. There is still no answer to the question as to if it is possible to get Palestinian agreement on this matter. It is also true that the continued presence of settlers in the area transferred to the Palestinians is likely to be a landmine that will explode the agreement.

9. The paper: The parties developed a joint "nonpaper" in Stockholm but the Palestinians later claimed that it only represents the Israeli position. This paper will be the opening point of the summit.

Yediot Ahronot 23 June 2000