By Xinhua
Ramallah : Palestinian Maan news agency published on Tuesday what it called “the literal translation” of principles that Israeli and Palestinian leaders discuss ahead of a U.S.-proposed international conference on Middle East peace.
The document includes eight articles of principles being discussed in the recent regular meetings between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, according to Maan.
The declaration of principles should be reached before the Middle East peace conference, slated in November in the United States, urged the one-page document published by Maan.
“Israel’s leadership and the leadership of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) should immediately engage in a process ending with two states of Israel and Palestine according to a document of basic principles and understandings,” said document.
According to the initial vision, Israel has to end the occupation of the West Bank in a timetable period and start to evacuate the settlements gradually and step by step, which should be handed over to the Palestinian National Authority (PNA).
As for Gaza Strip, administered by Islamic Hamas movement which overran forces loyal to President Abbas last June, a new regime, as a part of the peace process, should be established there so Israel can deal with the strip and the West Bank as a united political bloc.
The second article detailed the would-be Palestinian statehood as a demilitarized state lies on the 1967 borders. The frontiers would be allocated in line with the security needs and the demographic and humanitarian developments.
However, the wide settlement blocs would remain in Israel’s hands but geographical links in Palestine would be assured.
The third point envisioned Jerusalem as two capitals for two states. The Jewish neighborhoods would be under Israel’s control and the Arab communities are left for the Palestinian sovereignty.
In the fourth article, freedom of access to the holy shrines for the three religions is guaranteed with a special administrative authority to facilitate access of the two states to their holy places in Jerusalem’s Old City.
“Palestine is declared a national home for the Palestinian people and Israel is declared a national home for the Jews people,” the fifth item read.
The sixth articles talked about the need to find a fair solution for the Palestinian refugees.
The seventh point emphasized that the two sides must end the conflict to gain the support of their people to the agreement.
“The two sides consider this agreement as in harmony with the principles of the Arab Peace Initiative proposed by the Arab League (AL) and call the AL to take positive and effective measures to implement it,” the eighth point said.