The international community envisions a three-phase
process toward the establishment of a Palestinian state in 2005 in a plan
meant to guarantee Israel's security.
The plan by the United Nations and the major powers includes Palestinian
elections and security reform, an Israeli halt to settlement in the West
Bank and Gaza Strip and negotiations for a permanent settlement. Each of the
phases is dependent on a determination that the obligations of both Israel
and the Palestinians have been fulfilled.
The roadmap was outlined by United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan,
a member of the so-called Quartet. The group also consists of European Union
policy chief Javier Solana as well as U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell
and Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov.
Annan told a news conference on Tuesday that the first stage calls for
Palestinian security reform, Israeli withdrawals, and Palestinian elections
set for early 2003. He said a panel will review Palestinian security reform
and identify development assistance in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
During 2003, Annan said, efforts would focus on what he termed the
option of creating a Palestinian state with provisional borders as a way
station to a permanent status settlement. In the third phase, from 2004 to
mid-2005, the roadmap envisions Israeli-Palestinian negotiations aimed at a
permanent status solution.
"The Palestinians must work with the U.S. and regional partners to
reform their security services and combat terrorism, and both sides should
work to allow policing and law and order for the civilian population of the
West Bank and Gaza," Annan said. "Israelis and Palestinians should
re-establish security cooperation."
The recommendations of the Quartet fell short of Palestinian
expectations. Palestinian Authority International Cooperation Minister Nabil
Shaath called for a two-phase process that would mandate elections in
January 2003 and launch a ceasefire that would only include a halt of
attacks against Israeli civilians.
Israeli officials said Foreign Minister Shimon Peres rejected Shaath's
ceasefire proposal. They said the recommendations of the Quartet were in
line
with the strategy of the government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and the
principles outlined by U.S. President George Bush in June.
For his part, Powell raised the prospect that the United States would
not deal with PA Chairman Yasser Arafat, even if he is re-elected in
elections scheduled for next year. Powell termed Arafat a failed leader and
said the United States would "retain the option of deciding who we would
deal with and who we think was an effective leader who can move us toward a
path that would get us moving toward peace."
