[(Continued from p.4)]
This means that transition to the Palestinian state phase will be determined by foreign elements, contravening Sharon's stipulation that moving forward be dependent on Israeli assessment of elimination of terror, confiscation of weapons, cessation of incitement and the like.
3. "Quartet representatives begin informal monitoring and consult with the parties on establishment of a formal monitoring mechanism and its implementation."
Sharon regarded keeping international observers out of the area as a matter of such high priority that he avoided any substantive military activity for a year and a half. Now, he will be consenting to institutionalized international supervision that will undermine our sovereignty in managing the conflict from the outset, even before a Palestinian state is established.
4. The Quartet will ensure that "the parties perform their obligations in parallel, unless otherwise indicated."
This proviso contravenes Sharon's insistence that any measure taken by Israel must be preceded by the Palestinian side's having carried out its commitments. For example, the Palestinian undertaking to eliminate terror will be rendered parallel to Israel's commitments regarding settlements. The very apposition of these two issues is outrageous. Moreover, it is obvious that the Palestinians will perceive themselves as exempt from the obligation to halt terror simply because construction is taking place or some prefabricated structure or other has been set up on the Israeli side, including eastern Jerusalem. Adjudication of such disputes will be vested in the Quartet, which will hear these claims of Israeli violations. Such involvement of the Quartet largely vitiates Israeli sovereignty.
5. The Quartet plays a decisive role in other respects as well:
* Intervening "whenever the need arises" in direct negotiations between the parties.
This nullifies another principle that Israel held sacred for decades: Direct negotiations.
* Determining "a realistic timetable" for progress.
The assumption in the Road Map that, within a few months, the Palestinian Authority will eliminate incitement, end terror, hold democratic elections, and transform itself into a peaceful polity, shows that its notion of what constitutes "a realistic timetable" is, to put it gently, ludicrous.
* Offering effective and practical support at each stage of transition towards Palestinian rule.
The Quartet takes upon itself to intervene in all spheres of activity -- finances, administration, security and the like, another clear violation of Israeli sovereignty.
* Intervening in the achievement of a" final solution," including all that concerns Jerusalem, refugees and settlements.
* Acting to "facilitate reform and stabilize Palestinian institutions and the Palestinian economy."
A. The Road Map demands that "the Israeli government immediately dismantles settlement outposts erected since March 2001."
Dismantling of what are referred to as "outposts" and the settlement freeze described below are not contingent on prior cessation of terror. Nor does the Road Map make any distinction between "legal" and "illegal" outposts.
B. The Road Map stipulates that "the Israeli government freezes all settlement activities (including the natural growth of settlements)."
Thus the ghettoization of the Jews in Judea-Samaria-Gaza is harsher and more restricted than the medieval ghettos in which building in height was allowed.
The "freeze" is already being implemented. Licenses and permits for further building and development are withheld.
C. The document calls for "maximum territorial continuity including further action on settlements in conjunction with establishment of a Palestinian state with provisional borders."
The intention is transparent: Israel is expected almost immediately to uproot long-established communities that interfere with "geographical continuity" for a Palestinian state, for example, those in the Judean and Samarian hills.
D. Discussion of the fate of the remaining settlements will take place before establishment of a Palestinian state with permanent borders, i.e. by the end of 2005.
A. The Israeli government will reopen the Palestinian Chamber of Commerce and other Palestinian closed institutions in East Jerusalem.
This clearly means that Orient House, among other institutions, will be functioning once again and beyond that, a return to the Oslo years, which saw the virtual takeover of Jerusalem by the PLO and Palestinian Authority.
B. Discussions regarding the permanent status agreement aim at providing a settlement "that includes an agreed, just, fair and realistic solution to the refugee is-
[(Continued on p.6)]
June 2003 - 5 - Outpost