a Performance-Based Roadmap
to a Permanent Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian
Conflict
The following is a performance-based and goal-driven roadmap,
with clear phases, timelines, target dates, and benchmarks aiming at progress
through reciprocal steps by the two parties in the political, security, economic,
humanitarian, and institution-building fields, under the auspices of the Quartet.
The destination is a final and comprehensive settlement of the Israel-Palestinian
conflict by 2005, as presented in President Bush’s speech of 24 June, and
welcomed by the EU, Russia and the UN in the 16 July and 17 September Quartet
Ministerial statements.
A two state solution to the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict will only be achieved through an end to violence
and terrorism, when the Palestinian people have a leadership acting decisively
against terror and willing and able to build a practicing democracy based on
tolerance and liberty, and through Israel’s readiness to do what is necessary
for a democratic Palestinian state to be established, and a clear, unambiguous
acceptance by both parties of the goal of a negotiated settlement as described
below. The Quartet will assist and
facilitate implementation of the plan, starting in Phase I, including direct discussions
between the parties as required. The
plan establishes a realistic timeline for implementation. However, as a performance-based plan,
progress will require and depend upon the good faith efforts of the parties,
and their compliance with each of the obligations outlined below. Should the parties perform their obligations
rapidly, progress within and through the phases may come sooner than indicated
in the plan. Non-compliance with
obligations will impede progress.
A settlement, negotiated between the parties, will
result in the emergence of an independent, democratic, and viable Palestinian
state living side by side in peace and security with Israel and its other
neighbors. The settlement will resolve
the Israel-Palestinian conflict, and end the occupation that began in 1967,
based on the foundations of the Madrid Conference, the principle of land for
peace, UNSCRs 242, 338 and 1397, agreements previously reached by the parties,
and the initiative of Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah – endorsed by the Beirut Arab
League Summit – calling for acceptance of Israel as a neighbor living in peace
and security, in the context of a comprehensive settlement. This initiative is a vital element of
international efforts to promote a comprehensive peace on all tracks, including
the Syrian-Israeli and Lebanese-Israeli tracks.
The Quartet will meet regularly at senior levels to
evaluate the parties' performance on implementation of the plan. In each phase, the parties are expected to
perform their obligations in parallel, unless otherwise indicated.
Phase I:
Ending Terror And Violence, Normalizing Palestinian Life,
and Building Palestinian Institutions
Present to May 2003
In Phase I, the Palestinians immediately undertake
an unconditional cessation of violence according to the steps outlined below;
such action should be accompanied by supportive measures undertaken by
Israel. Palestinians and Israelis
resume security cooperation based on the Tenet work plan to end violence,
terrorism, and incitement through restructured and effective Palestinian
security services. Palestinians
undertake comprehensive political reform in preparation for statehood,
including drafting a Palestinian constitution, and free, fair and open
elections upon the basis of those measures.
Israel takes all necessary steps to help normalize Palestinian
life. Israel withdraws from Palestinian
areas occupied from September 28, 2000 and the two sides restore the status quo
that existed at that time, as security performance and cooperation
progress. Israel also freezes all
settlement activity, consistent with the Mitchell report.
At
the outset of Phase I:
Security
·
Palestinians
declare an unequivocal end to violence and terrorism and undertake visible
efforts on the ground to arrest, disrupt, and restrain individuals and groups
conducting and planning violent attacks on Israelis anywhere.
·
Rebuilt
and refocused Palestinian Authority security apparatus begins sustained,
targeted, and effective operations aimed at confronting all those engaged in
terror and dismantlement of terrorist capabilities and infrastructure. This includes commencing confiscation of
illegal weapons and consolidation of security authority, free of association
with terror and corruption.
·
GOI
takes no actions undermining trust, including deportations, attacks on civilians; confiscation and/or demolition of
Palestinian homes and property, as a punitive measure or to facilitate Israeli
construction; destruction of Palestinian institutions and infrastructure; and
other measures specified in the Tenet work plan.
·
Relying
on existing mechanisms and on-the-ground resources, Quartet representatives
begin informal monitoring and consult with the parties on establishment of a
formal monitoring mechanism and its implementation.
·
Implementation,
as previously agreed, of U.S. rebuilding, training and resumed security
cooperation plan in collaboration with outside oversight board
(U.S.–Egypt–Jordan). Quartet support
for efforts to achieve a lasting, comprehensive cease-fire.
Ø
All
Palestinian security organizations are consolidated into three services
reporting to an empowered Interior Minister.
Ø
Restructured/retrained
Palestinian security forces and IDF counterparts progressively resume security
cooperation and other undertakings in implementation of the Tenet work plan,
including regular senior-level meetings, with the participation of U.S.
security officials.
·
Arab
states cut off public and private funding and all other forms of support for
groups supporting and engaging in violence and terror.
·
All
donors providing budgetary support for the Palestinians channel these funds
through the Palestinian Ministry of Finance's Single Treasury Account.
·
As
comprehensive security performance moves forward, IDF withdraws progressively
from areas occupied since September 28, 2000 and the two sides restore the
status quo that existed prior to September 28, 2000. Palestinian security forces redeploy to areas vacated by IDF.
Palestinian
Institution-Building
·
Immediate action on credible process to produce draft
constitution for Palestinian statehood.
As rapidly as possible, constitutional committee circulates draft
Palestinian constitution, based on strong parliamentary democracy and cabinet
with empowered prime minister, for public comment/debate. Constitutional committee proposes draft
document for submission after elections for approval by appropriate Palestinian
institutions.
·
Appointment
of interim prime minister or cabinet with empowered executive
authority/decision-making body.
·
GOI
fully facilitates travel of Palestinian officials for PLC and Cabinet sessions,
internationally supervised security retraining, electoral and other reform
activity, and other supportive measures related to the reform efforts.
·
Continued
appointment of Palestinian ministers empowered to undertake fundamental reform. Completion of further steps to achieve
genuine separation of powers, including any necessary Palestinian legal reforms
for this purpose.
·
Establishment
of independent Palestinian election commission. PLC reviews and revises election law.
·
Palestinian
performance on judicial, administrative, and economic benchmarks, as
established by the International Task Force on Palestinian Reform.
·
As
early as possible, and based upon the
above measures and in the context of open debate and transparent candidate selection/electoral
campaign based on a free, multi-party process, Palestinians hold free, open,
and fair elections.
·
GOI
facilitates Task Force election assistance, registration of voters, movement of
candidates and voting officials.
Support for NGOs involved in the election process.
·
GOI
reopens Palestinian Chamber of Commerce and other closed Palestinian
institutions in East Jerusalem based on a commitment that these institutions
operate strictly in accordance with prior agreements between the parties.
Humanitarian
Response
·
Israel
takes measures to improve the humanitarian situation. Israel and Palestinians implement in full all recommendations of
the Bertini report to improve humanitarian conditions, lifting curfews and
easing restrictions on movement of persons and goods, and allowing full, safe,
and unfettered access of international and humanitarian personnel.
·
AHLC
reviews the humanitarian situation and prospects for economic development in
the West Bank and Gaza and launches a major donor assistance effort, including
to the reform effort.
·
GOI
and PA continue revenue clearance process and transfer of funds, including
arrears, in accordance with agreed, transparent monitoring mechanism.
·
Continued
donor support, including increased funding through PVOs/NGOs, for people to
people programs, private sector development and civil society initiatives.
Settlements
·
GOI
immediately dismantles settlement outposts erected since March 2001.
·
Consistent
with the Mitchell Report, GOI freezes all settlement activity (including
natural growth of settlements).
Phase II: Transition
June 2003-December 2003
In the second phase, efforts are focused on
the option of creating an independent Palestinian state with provisional
borders and attributes of sovereignty, based on the new constitution, as a way
station to a permanent status settlement.
As has been noted, this goal can be achieved when the Palestinian people
have a leadership acting decisively against terror, willing and able to build a
practicing democracy based on tolerance and liberty. With such a leadership, reformed civil institutions and security
structures, the Palestinians will have the active support of the Quartet and
the broader international community in establishing an independent, viable,
state.
Progress into Phase II will be based upon
the consensus judgment of the Quartet of whether conditions are appropriate to
proceed, taking into account performance of both parties. Furthering and sustaining efforts to
normalize Palestinian lives and build Palestinian institutions, Phase II starts
after Palestinian elections and ends with possible creation of an independent
Palestinian state with provisional borders in 2003. Its primary goals are continued comprehensive security performance
and effective security cooperation, continued normalization of Palestinian life
and institution-building, further building on and sustaining of the goals
outlined in Phase I, ratification of a democratic Palestinian constitution,
formal establishment of office of prime minister, consolidation of political
reform, and the creation of a Palestinian state with provisional borders.
· International Conference: Convened by the Quartet, in consultation with the parties, immediately after the successful conclusion of Palestinian elections, to support Palestinian economic recovery and launch a process, leading to establishment of an independent Palestinian state with provisional borders.
Ø Such a meeting would be inclusive, based on the goal of a comprehensive Middle East peace (including between Israel and Syria, and Israel and Lebanon), and based on the principles described in the preamble to this document.
Ø
Arab
states restore pre-intifada links to Israel (trade offices, etc.).
Ø
Revival
of multilateral engagement on issues including regional water resources,
environment, economic development, refugees, and arms control issues.
· New constitution for democratic, independent Palestinian state is finalized and approved by appropriate Palestinian institutions. Further elections, if required, should follow approval of the new constitution.
· Empowered reform cabinet with office of prime minister formally established, consistent with draft constitution.
· Continued comprehensive security performance, including effective security cooperation on the bases laid out in Phase I.
· Creation of an independent Palestinian state with provisional borders through a process of Israeli-Palestinian engagement, launched by the international conference. As part of this process, implementation of prior agreements, to enhance maximum territorial contiguity, including further action on settlements in conjunction with establishment of a Palestinian state with provisional borders.
· Enhanced international role in monitoring transition, with the active, sustained, and operational support of the Quartet.
· Quartet members promote international recognition of Palestinian state, including possible UN membership.
and End of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
2004 – 2005
Progress into Phase III, based on consensus judgment of Quartet, and taking into
account actions of both parties and Quartet monitoring. Phase III objectives are consolidation of
reform and stabilization of Palestinian institutions, sustained, effective
Palestinian security performance, and Israeli-Palestinian negotiations aimed at
a permanent status agreement in 2005.
· Second International Conference: Convened by Quartet, in consultation with the parties, at beginning of 2004 to endorse agreement reached on an independent Palestinian state with provisional borders and formally to launch a process with the active, sustained, and operational support of the Quartet, leading to a final, permanent status resolution in 2005, including on borders, Jerusalem, refugees, settlements; and, to support progress toward a comprehensive Middle East settlement between Israel and Lebanon and Israel and Syria, to be achieved as soon as possible.
· Continued comprehensive, effective progress on the reform agenda laid out by the Task Force in preparation for final status agreement.
· Continued sustained and effective security performance, and sustained, effective security cooperation on the bases laid out in Phase I.
· International efforts to facilitate reform and stabilize Palestinian institutions and the Palestinian economy, in preparation for final status agreement.
·
Parties reach final and comprehensive permanent status
agreement that ends the Israel-Palestinian conflict in 2005, through a
settlement negotiated between the parties based on UNSCR 242, 338, and 1397,
that ends the occupation that began in 1967, and includes an agreed, just,
fair, and realistic solution to the refugee issue, and a negotiated resolution
on the status of Jerusalem that takes into account the political and religious
concerns of both sides, and protects the religious interests of Jews,
Christians, and Muslims worldwide, and fulfills the vision of two states,
Israel and sovereign, independent, democratic and viable Palestine, living
side-by-side in peace and security.
·
Arab
state acceptance of full normal relations with Israel and security for all the
states of the region in the context of a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace.