In April 2003, the Quartet
[the United States, European Union, United
Nations, and Russia] published a road
map aimed at bringing about a settlement
of the conflict between Israel and
the Palestinians. Israel and
the Palestinian
Authority accepted the road map and
agreed to fulfill the commitments it placed
on them. The principal obligations of each
party and their progress toward fulfilling
them are detailed below. (Ed: We have linked
to the original news articles where possible,
but newspapers often archive their stories
and older links may no longer work.)
The Palestinian Authority — PRINCIPAL
PHASE ONE OBLIGATIONS
(A)
PALESTINIAN OBLIGATION: Issue unequivocal
statement affirming Israel’s right
to exist in peace and security
¨Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas has affirmed
this principle while also calling
Israel's creation a crime.
¨Palestinian President
Mahmoud
Abbas does not oppose armed
struggle.
¨Palestinians
continue to obstruct the normalization
of relations between Arab/Islamic
nations and Israel.
¨Hamas remains committed
to Israel’s
destruction.
“In
a speech in Damascus, Hamas leader
Khaled Meshal on Sunday played
down talk of potential compromise
and said the
Arab states should renew their
demands for the ‘liberation’ of
Palestinian land ‘from the
sea to the river.’” —Washington
Post, October 12, 2009.
“[Ismail] Haniyya said that Hamas will never recognize Israel and ‘will remain steadfast, protecting the blood of the martyrs... We vow before God, we vow to you, we vow to the martyrs, the detainees and their families, we will remain steadfast,’ Haniyya stated, ‘The resistance will prevail until liberating the land, until liberating Jerusalem.’” — IMEMC News, August 14, 2009.
“Mr. Abbas said Israel's position could lead to more conflict.
‘Although we have chosen peace,’ he said,‘we reserve the right to return to armed resistance.’” — VOANews, August 8, 2009.
“Fatah has never recognized Israel's right to exist and it has no intention of ever doing so, a veteran senior leader of the Western-backed faction said.... Rafik Natsheh, member of the Fatah Central Committee who also serves as chairman of the faction's disciplinary ‘court,’ is the second senior official in recent months to make similar statements regarding Israel.” — Jerusalem Post, July 23, 2009.
“‘The visit has not led to a significant change. Hamas finds the conditions unacceptable," [Ahmed Youssef, the deputy Hamas foreign minister] said. ‘Recognizing Israel is completely unacceptable.’ According to Hamas ideology, there is no room for a Jewish state in an Islamic Middle East. The militant group has sent dozens of suicide bombers into Israel, killing hundreds.” —Washington Post, June 17, 2009.
“Hamas spokesperson, Fawzi Barhoum, stated that Abbas’ term in office had already expired; therefore he cannot sign an agreement with any country, including understandings with the United States and Israel.” — IMEMC, May 26, 2009.
“Khaled Meshal, who lives in Syria, called a two-state solution unacceptable because Hamas cannot envision living with Israel in peace and security.” — United Press International, Inc., May 9, 2009.
“[Khaled Meshal] repeated that he would not recognize Israel, saying to fellow Arab leaders, ‘There is only one enemy in the region, and that is Israel.’” — New York Times, May 4, 2009.
“‘I say this clearly: I do not accept the Jewish State, call it what you will,’ [Mahmoud Abbas] said at a preliminary conference of the Palestinian Youth Parliament in Ramallah. At the end of the conference, Abbas was presented with a large framed map of ‘Palestine,’ covering the entire area of Israel.” — Palestinian Media Watch, April 28, 2009.
“Former Fatah security commander Muhammad Dahlan on Tuesday called on
Hamas not to recognize Israel's right to exist, pointing out that Fatah had never recognized it.” — Jerusalem Post, March 17, 2009.
“Hamas
rejected a call by US Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton for the
Islamic group to recognize the
state of Israel, and said her request
was unacceptable to the Palestinians.” —Jerusalem
Post, February 28, 2009.
“Gaza
is not our goal....The
liberation of all of Palestine,
from the river to the sea, God
willing, will be achieved.” — Hamas
leader Ismail Radwan, AP,
January 20, 2009.
“Hamas
declared on Wednesday that it would
not accept any permanent cease-fire
with Israel.” —Jerusalem
Post, January 7, 2009.
“Peace
can be achieved only if Israel
withdraws to the last centimeter
of the Palestinian territories
occupied in 1967.” — Palestinian
negotiator Ahmed Qurei, Jerusalem
Post,
December 13, 2008.
“We
call on all the factions to undertake
efforts to contain the enemy and
halt its aggression by planning
martyrdom operations.” — Palestinian
prime minister Ismail
Haniya, AFP,
September 26, 2008.
“The
Palestinians will continue to negotiate.
But, if the talks reached a dead
end, what do we do? Capitulate?
Resistance in all its forms is
a legitimate right.” — Palestinian
chief negotiator Ahmed Qureia, Reuters, September 23, 2008.
“The annihilation
of the Jews here in Palestine is
one of the most splendid blessings
for Palestine. This will be followed
by a greater blessing, Allah be
praised, with the establishment
of a Caliphate that will rule the
land and will be pleasing to men
and God.” — Palestinian
cleric Muhsen Abu 'Ita, Al-Aqsa
TV, MEMRI, July 13, 2008
“A
spokesman for Hamas on Saturday
said negotiations with Israel is
out of the question and the Islamic
movement will never recognize ‘the
enemy.’” — Ismail
Radwan quoted in Xinhua, June
21, 2008.
“We
will never recognize Israel
or cease to fight for our land.
Our battle against Israel is
one of resistance to occupation.” — Hamas
political chief Khalid Mashaal
in an address to 'The Decline
of the Zionist Regime' conference
at Tehran University, Tehran
Times, May 27, 2008.
“Hamas
leader Mahmoud Zahar said Wednesday
that a Palestinian state will be
established on all of the land
of Palestine and not only on parts
of it, and that it will include “Jaffa,
Lod and Haifa.” Zahar also
reiterated Hamas’ unwillingness
to recognize the State of Israel
and said that the group “will
continue to persecute the Zionists
wherever they are, after we prove
that the Zionist army can be defeated
- contrary to what was believed
in the past, that it is impossible
to beat the Zionists.” —Jerusalem
Post, May 14, 2008.
“In
light of the weakness of the
Arab nation and the lack of values,
and in light of the American
control over the world, the PLO
proceeds through phases, without
changing its strategy. Let me
tell you, when the ideology of
Israel collapses, and we take,
at least, Jerusalem, the Israeli
ideology will collapse in its
entirety, and we will begin to
progress with our own ideology,
Allah willing, and drive them
out of all of Palestine.” — PLO
ambassador to Lebanon, Abbas
Zaki, Jerusalem
Post, April 13, 2008.
“The
Zionist enemy doesn't have a vision
of peace. Only force... fighting
and holy war works with [Israel].” — Hamas
leader Khalil al-Haya, Jerusalem
Post, March 28, 2008.
“At
this present juncture, I am opposed
to armed struggle because we cannot
succeed in it, but maybe in the
future things will be different.” — PA
President Mahmoud Abbas, Jerusalem
Post, February 28, 2008.
“We negated
the concept in the Annapolis peace
conference and it almost ended
because of it… they wanted
us to state we recognize Israel
as a Jewish State in the closing
statements, but we wouldn't hear
of it.” — PA President
Mahmoud Abbas, Ynet, February
28, 2008.
“More
than 200,000 Palestinians rallied
yesterday in Gaza City to mark
the Hamas movement’s 20th
anniversary, where deposed Hamas
prime minister Ismail Haniyeh said
that whoever declares he will never
recognize Israel earns ‘the
people's love.’ The
crowd chanted: ‘We will
never recognize Israel.’” — Haaretz,
December 16, 2007.
“Hamas
on Thursday called on the UN to
rescind the 1947 decision to partition
Palestine into two states, one
for Jews and one for Arabs. The
group said in a statement, released
on the 60th anniversary of the
UN vote, that "Palestine
is Arab Islamic land, from the
river to the sea, including Jerusalem...
there is no room in it for the
Jews.” — Jerusalem
Post, November 29, 2007.
“No
Palestinian is authorized to offer
concessions. With Palestinian divisions
and the absence of institutions
no one has the right to conduct
negotiations as they please....I
tell my brothers in Ramallah. Your
game is dangerous. Don't gamble
with your political future. The
Palestinian people won't accept
negotiating on the core of the
Palestinian cause as part of a
game destined to fail.” — Hamas
leader Khaled Meshaal, Reuters,
November 5, 2007.
“Ninety-two
[percent] is unacceptable to us.” — Mahmoud
Abbas on territorial compromise. Washington
Post, September 30, 2007.
“Jerusalem
and the Aksa Mosque have experienced
occupation by various peoples
in the past and lived through
this occupation. I tell the Israelis:
You and your occupation will
disappear, Jerusalem and the
Aksa Mosque will remain forever.” — Sheikh
Raed Salah, Jerusalem
Post, September 8, 2007.
“‘Palestinians
will fight Israel for generation
upon generation until victory,
and will yet get to dance at the
Al-Aksa mosque in Jerusalem,’ Ismail
Haniyeh, the Hamas prime minister
in the dismissed Palestinian Authority
government, told a rally in the
Gaza Strip on Thursday [Aug. 16].
‘If Israel is not defeated
in this generation, it will be
in the next generation,’ he
said.” — Canadian
Jewish News, August 17, 2007.
“As
far as we're concerned, the issue
of recognition of Israel has
been settled once and for all.
It has been settled in our political
literature, in our Islamic thought
and in our Jihadist culture,
on which we base our moves. Recognition
of Israel is out of the question.”Palestinian
Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, Saudi
daily paper Aljazeera,
April 2, 2007.
“I
will not accept a agreement saying
that at the end of the day,
Haifa, Jaffa,
and Acre are Israeli cities, and part of the Israeli
land. It should, at the
very least, say that these cities cannot be liberated
or regained today, but I will not accept any solution
that prevents any future Palestinian
generation from acting to liberate
and regain the rest of the Palestinian
land, if the current generation
is incapable of accomplishing
this.” — Hamas
representative in
Lebanon Osama Hamdan, Al-Manar
TV, April 2, 2007.
“...the
extermination of Jews is good
for the inhabitants of the
worlds...” — Kan'an
Ubayd in the Hamas newspaper,
Al-Risalah, April 23,
2007.
“The
Friday sermon of March 30, 2007,
on the occasion of the birthday
of Muhammad, was delivered by Hamas
spokesman Ismail Radwan in the
Gaza mosque of Sheikh Zayed bin
Sultan. The sermon was broadcasted
live on the Palestinian national
television, controlled by Abu Mazen,
the Chairman of the Palestinian
Authority....In his sermon, Ismail
Radwan included the following verse:
‘The Day of Judgment will
not arrive until the Muslims fight
the Jews and kill them, until the
Jew hides behind the stones and
the trees; and each stone or tree
will say: Oh Muslim, Oh servant
of God, there is a Jew hiding behind
me, come and kill him; except for
the gharqad, which is the tree
of the Jews.’” — Intelligence
and Terrorism Information Center,
April 11, 2007.
“‘We
will not betray promises we made
to God to continue the path of
Jihad and resistance until the
liberation of Palestine, all of
Palestine,’ Hamas said
in a statement, in a clear reference
to Israel as well as to the occupied
West Bank.” — Reuters,
March 12, 2007.
“We
will never recognize the usurper
Zionist government and will continue
our jihad-like movement until the
liberation of Jerusalem.” — Palestinian
Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, USA
Today, December
8, 2006.
“Even
the establishment of a Palestinian
state in the Gaza Strip and West
Bank will not move Hamas to recognize
Israel, as Palestinian lands
would still remain "occupied," [Hamas
leader-in-exile Khaled] Mashaal
told the Lebanese newspaper Al
Safir....Elsewhere on Tuesday,
Mashaal's words were backed up
by Palestinian Prime Minister
Ismail Haniyeh...[who] emphasized
that the Palestinian people would
not give up a ‘single grain
of the land of Palestine, nor
would it relinquish the right
of return for Palestinian refugees.’” — Jerusalem
Post, December 5, 2006.
“Muhammad
Deif, head of Hamas' military
wing and the senior Palestinian
terror suspect wanted by Israel,
said Sunday night that "all
the land conquered in 1948
is Palestine's land. Every
Muslim in the world has the
right and duty to fight in
order to liberate this land
because it is Muslim land.”— Ynetnews.com, July 3, 2006.
(B)
PALESTINIAN OBLIGATION: Call for immediate
and unconditional cease-fire
¨Hamas and Israel agree
to a cease fire in Gaza effective
June 19, 2008.
¨Abbas and Olmert agreed
to a cease fire at the end
of November 2006.
¨Abbas and Sharon agreed
to declare an end to hostilities
during a summit in Egypt.
¨Palestinians continue
to threaten violence if their
demands aren't met.
¨Even after Israel
withdraws completely from Gaza,
Palestinians continue to fire
rockets into Israel on an almost
daily basis.
The
following are a sample of the most
recent violations:
“Just as IDF Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi spoke of the quiet in the South being a testament to the success of Operation Cast Lead, tensions threatened to flare once against on the Gaza front, with Palestinians firing a Kassam rocket into Israel after the IDF killed a suspected terrorist near the border fence. The rocket landed in an open area in the Sdot Negev region, causing no casualties or damage.” — Jerusalem Post, November 13, 2009.
“A Katyusha-type rocket landed in an Upper Galilee kibbutz on Tuesday evening, causing no casualties.” — Jerusalem Post, October 27, 2009.
“Hours after an IAF strike in the northern Gaza Strip killed three members of a terrorist cell, Palestinians fired several Kassam rockets into southern Israel on Saturday morning. The rockets struck open areas in the Eshkol region, causing no casualties.” — Jerusalem Post, September 25, 2009.
“A Qassam rocket fired from the northern Gaza Strip on Thursday morning hit an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council in southern Israel.” — Ynet, September 24, 2009.
“At around midnight Sunday, Israel Air Force planes attacked three weapon smuggling tunnels in southern Gaza. The IDF said the strike was carried out in response to the firing of Qassam rockets at Israel on Saturday night.” — Ynet, September 24, 2009.
“Israel Air Force warplanes bombed two weapons-smuggling tunnels in the southern Gaza Strip early Sunday, shortly after Palestinian militants in the Hamas-ruled territory fired a Qassam rocket into the Negev.” — Haaretz, June 14, 2009.
“After a period of relative calm in south Israel, a Qassam rocket fired from the northern Gaza Strip landed in the courtyard of a house in Sderot Tuesday afternoon, causing slight damage to several adjacent structures.” — Ynet, May 19, 2009.
“A Kassam rocket fired by terrorists in the Gaza Strip hit the Eshkol region in the western Negev on Thursday morning.” — Jerusalem Post, May 7, 2009.
“Palestinian terrorists on Wednesday morning fired three mortar shells at the Sha'ar Hanegev region.” — Jerusalem Post, May 6, 2009.
“The IAF bombed two smuggling tunnels in two separate air strikes in the southern Gaza Strip on Friday afternoon.... The air strikes came a day after a Kassam rocket fired by Palestinian terrorists in the Strip hit the Eshkol region.” — Jerusalem Post, May 1, 2009.
“A Kassam rocket fired by Palestinian terrorists in Gaza landed near a kibbutz in the Sha'ar Hanegev region on Thursday night.” — Jerusalem Post, April 23, 2009.
“IDF soldiers thwarted an attack against Israeli forces Tuesday morning when they prevented a Palestinian attempt to place an explosive device on the Gaza border.” — Ynet, March 31, 2009.
“A Qassam rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit the Ashkelon area Tuesday afternoon, after ten days of quiet.” — Haaretz, March 24, 2009.
“Palestinian terrorists in Gaza continued to attack Israeli civilian areas on Sunday morning, firing four Kassam rockets at the South. Two of the rockets hit the Eshkol region and two struck the Sdot Negev area. No one was wounded, and no damage was reported.” — Jerusalem
Post, March 8, 2009.
“A Kassam rocket slammed into
an open field south of Ashkelon overnight
Thursday, causing no casualties or
damage. Earlier on Thursday evening,
a Grad rocket struck near a synagogue
in Netivot, causing minor damage,
but no casualties.” — Jerusalem
Post, March 4, 2009.
“A
barrage of Kassam rockets and mortar
shells pounded the western Negev
on Thursday....” — Jerusalem
Post, March 4, 2009.
“Palestinians in the Gaza Strip
fired at least five projectiles at
southern Israel on Saturday, with
a Grad-type rocket hitting and heavily
damaging an Asheklon school.” — Jerusalem
Post, February 27, 2009.
“A Qassam rocket fired from
the northern Gaza Strip landed in
an open area between the Sdot Negev
and Sha'ar Hanegev regional councils.” — Ynet,
February 27, 2009.
“Two Qassam rockets fired from
the Gaza Strip on Wednesday morning
hit open areas in the Sha'ar Hanegev
Regional Council.” — Ynet,
February 25, 2009.
“Palestinian militants in the
Gaza Strip on Sunday fired two mortar
rounds at Israel Defense Forces soldiers
near the border.” — Haaretz,
February 22, 2009.
“Palestinian gunmen on Friday
morning fired 10 mortar shells at
IDF troops who were operating near
the Kissufim crossing to the Gaza
Strip.” — Jerusalem
Post, February 19, 2009.
“A Kassam rocket landed in
the Sha'ar Hangev region, followed
by two Grad-type rockets in Netivot
- the first time long-range rockets
were fired at the city since the
end of Operation Cast Lead.” — Jerusalem
Post, February 11, 2009.
“While the talks for
truce between Israel and Hamas and
for release of kidnapped soldier Gilad
Shalit go on in Cairo, western
Negev communities continue to be
hit by rockets: Two Qassams were
fired at the western Negev on Monday
morning.” — Ynet,
February 17, 2009.
“With party leaders in Israel
distracted by urgent coalition talks
immediately following the elections
on Tuesday, Palestinians took advantage
of the opportunity to fire mortar
shells at the western Negev.” — Jerusalem
Post, February 11, 2009.
“A day after a Hamas delegation
left Egypt without an agreement on
a long-term Gaza truce, terrorists
in the Strip fired two rockets at
southern Israel.” — Jerusalem
Post, February 6, 2009.
“Palestinian militants in the
Gaza Strip on Wednesday launched
a mortar shell at southern Israel,
which exploded in the Eshkol Regional
Council.” — Haaretz,
February 4, 2009.
“A long-range Grad rocket fired
by Palestinian militants in the Gaza
Strip has landed in the city of Ashkelon.” — BBC,
February 3, 2009.
“Gaza terrorists resumed their
attacks on southern Israeli civilian
areas on Monday night, firing a Kassam
rocket that hit a kibbutz in the
Sha'ar Hanegev region.” — Jerusalem
Post, February 2, 2009.
“After a day of ceasefire breaches
which saw at least 15 rockets land
in Israeli territory, IAF planes
struck at multiple targets in Khan
Yunis and Rafah late Sunday evening.” — Jerusalem
Post, February 1, 2009.
“Two Kassam rockets fired from
the Gaza Strip on Thursday morning
fell in open areas near the town
of Sderot.” — Jerusalem
Post, January 29, 2009.
“A day after
Gaza operatives breached the cease-fire
with a deadly bomb attack along
the border, terrorists in the Strip
fired a Kassam rocket at southern
Israel on Wednesday night.” — Jerusalem
Post, January 28, 2009.
“Gaza terrorists continued
to attack southern Israeli civilian
areas on Sunday afternoon, despite
the fact that the Israeli unilateral
cease-fire had already been in effect
since early that morning. In the
latest attack, a women sustained
light shrapnel wounds in her hand
when a Grad rocket hit the yard of
an Ashdod house. In total, some 13
rockets and four mortar shells were
fired at southern Israel since the
truce took effect at 2 a.m. Sunday
morning.” — Jerusalem
Post, January 18, 2009.
“Palestinian
militants in the Gaza Strip on
Thursday fired a barrage of some
22 rockets at Israel.” — Haaretz,
January 15, 2009.
“Palestinian
terrorists continued to attack
Israeli civilian areas on Wednesday,
firing 18 projectiles by late afternoon,
including a phosphorous mortar
shell that hit the Eshkol region.” — Jerusalem
Post, January 14, 2009.
“Gaza militants fired 12 rockets
and four mortar shells at Israel's
southern communities on Tuesday morning.” — Haaretz,
January 13, 2009.
“Since Monday morning a total
of 15 rockets and two mortar shells
landed in southern Israel.” — Ynet,
January 12, 2009.
“Palestinian militants in the
Gaza Strip fired a barrage of at
least 20 rockets at southern Israel
on Friday, just hours after the United
Nations passed a resolution calling
for an immediate truce between Israel
and Hamas....At least 30 rockets
struck the Negev on Thursday, leaving
four people wounded and a number
more suffering from shock.” — Haaretz,
January 9, 2009.
“Palestinian militants from
the Gaza Strip on Wednesday fired
at least 13rockets into Israel's
southern communities, including Be'er
Sheva and Ashkelon.” — Haaretz,
January 7, 2009.
“A three-month old baby girl
sustained light shrapnel wounds on
Tuesday morning when a Grad rocket
hit a residential building in Gedera.
In total, 23 rockets had hit civilian
areas in southern Israel by early
Tuesday afternoon.” — Jerusalem
Post, January 6, 2009.
“Hamas continued its rocketing
of innocent Israeli civilians on
Monday afternoon, lightly wounding
nine people when it fired two Grad
rockets at Ashkelon....Some 30 rockets
had been fired at the South by mid
afternoon....On Sunday, around 50
rockets were fired into southern
Israel....Due to the continuing attacks,
schools, kindergartens and other
educational institutions within a
40-kilometer range from Gaza remained
closed Monday.” — Jerusalem
Post, January 5, 2009.
“Hours after IDF troops and
tanks entered the Gaza Strip, Palestinian
terrorists continued bombarding southern
Israel, firing some 25 rockets and
mortar shells at the western Negev
on Sunday morning.” — Jerusalem
Post, January 4, 2009.
“A Grad rocket fired by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip on Thursday scored a direct hit on an eight-floor residential building in the northern Negev city of Ashdod, nearly 40 kilometers from the Hamas-ruled coastal territory.
More than 20 rockets were fired at the Negev on Thursday....” — Haaretz, January 1, 2009.
“Gaza terrorists continued to pound southern Israel Wednesday on the fifth day of IDF Operation Cast Lead, firing some 60 rockets at civilian areas and lightly wounding four people in attacks on Ashkelon and Ashdod.” — Jerusalem Post.December 30, 2008.
“Palestinian terrorists continued to rocket southern Israel Tuesday afternoon, bringing the total number of
rockets fired from the Gaza Strip to over 30 since morning.” — Jerusalem Post.December 30, 2008.
“Gaza terrorists fired over 50 rockets at southern Israel Monday, the latest two hitting open areas in the Eshkol region, causing no casualties or damage. Earlier Monday, Hanni Al-Mahdi, 27, of the Beduin town Aroer in the Negev, was killed and at least 14 people were wounded when a Grad-type missile hit a construction site in Ashkelon's city center.” — Jerusalem Post.December 29, 2008.
“Over 35 rockets were fired into Israel from the Gaza Strip on Sunday, as two of the projectiles, reported to be Grad-type rockets -
landed near Ashdod, some 40 kilometers from Gaza....In the afternoon, two Grad rockets also hit Ashkelon, lightly wounding wo people and causing minor damage. Eight more residents were evacuated to Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon and treated for shock. In the Eshkol region, one person was lightly wounded when a rocket hit the roof of a building in a kibbutz.” — Jerusalem Post.December 28, 2008.
“Beber Vaknin, 58, of Netivot was killed when a Kassam rocket struck an apartment building, and five other Israelis sustained light to serious wounds after rockets hit a synagogue in southern Israel on Saturday, 27 December. Hamas' armed wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, claimed responsibility for the deadly attack in Netivot.” — Israeli Foreign Ministry
“Gaza terrorists fired four Kassam rockets at the western Negev on Tuesday, the first attacks after a day-long informal cease-fire.” — Jerusalem Post.December 23, 2008.
“Three people were wounded Wednesday during a tough day in southern Israel that saw more than 20 rockets fired at Negev communities.” — Ynet, December 17, 2008
“Palestinians continued to
attack southern Israel on Saturday,
firing two Grad-type
rockets, two Kassam
rockets and three mortar
shells into the Negev throughout
the day.” — JerusalemPost,
December 6, 2008
“A Qassam rocket fired from
the northern Gaza Strip landed in
an open area near Sderot on Thursday
evening.” — Ynet,
December 4, 2008.
“Palestinian gunmen fired two
Qassam rockets from Gaza on Tuesday.
One rocket landed near a town in
Shaar HaNegev Regional Council, and
the other fell in Eshkol Regional
Council.” — Ynet,
December 2, 2008.
“A Qassam rocket exploded Monday
afternoon in an open area near a
kibbutz south of the city of Ashkelon.” — Ynet,
December 1, 2008.
“Hamas is adamant the truce
is not over – but it feels
decidedly otherwise for Sderot's
residents. A Qassam rocket launched
from northern Gaza landed in an
open area in the town on Sunday
afternoon. Another rocket landed
in the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional
Council. In addition a barrage
of five mortar shells landed in
open areas in the Eshkol Regional
Council.
On Saturday, surgeons at Barzilai
Hospital in Ashkelon were forced
to amputate the leg of 21-year-old
Noam Nikash of Beersheba, one of
eight soldiers wounded by a Palestinian
mortar shell attack on a Nahal
Oz IDF base the previous night.
The seven other troops, including
two female soldiers, were lightly
to moderately hurt in the attack.” — JerusalemPost,
November 28, 2008; Ynet,
November 30, 2008.
“A Qassam rocket launched from
northern Gaza Monday evening landed
on the coast near Ashkelon, adjacent
to an Ashkelon suburb.” — Ynet,
November 24, 2008.
“Three Qassam rockets were
fired at the western Negev on Saturday.” — Haaretz,
November 22, 2008.
“A Qassam rocket fired from
the northern Gaza Strip on Friday
morning landed in an open area in
the city of Ashkelon's southern industrial
zone.” — Ynet, November
21, 2008.
“Palestinians in the Gaza Strip
fired three Kassam rockets and two
mortar shells at the western Negev
on Tuesday afternoon.” — JerusalemPost,
November 17, 2008.
“Palestinian
terrorists in Gaza fired three
Kassam rockets at
the western Negev on Monday afternoon.” — JerusalemPost,
November 17, 2008.
“Palestinians fired a Kassam rocket at Sderot
on Sunday evening, lightly wounding one man and sending
two people into shock....Earlier on Sunday, two rockets
landed in the Eshkol Regional Council near a kibbutz.” — JerusalemPost,
November 17, 2008.
“Five
Grad-type Katyusha rockets were
fired at the region, one of which
hit the city center and another
that landed on its outskirts. Three
more struck open areas. Shortly
afterwards, another Kassam rocket
landed in a kibbutz in the Sha'ar
Hanegev Regional Council. Also,
a mortar shell exploded near the
Kissufim area. Three people were
sent into shock as a result of
the attack and were evacuated to
Ashkelon's Barzilai Hospital. Earlier
Friday, Gaza terrorists fired ten
Kassams at the South, one of which
lightly wounded an elderly woman
in a Sha'ar Hanegev kibbutz..” — JerusalemPost,
November 13, 2008.
“Two Kassam rockets landed
in the western Negev last night.” — JerusalemPost, November
12, 2008.
“Southerners woke up to another
day of rocket attacks Friday as Palestinian
terrorists fired five Kassams at
western Negev neighborhoods....The
rockets landed in the Sderot, Eshkol
and Sha'ar Hanegev regions.” — JerusalemPost, November
7, 2008.
“More than 30 Kassam rockets
were fired at southern Israel after
an IDF operation in the Gaza Strip....Three
of the Kassams damaged greenhouses
in the western Negev, and two Kassams
fell in Ashkelon, one in a residential
neighborhood.” — JTA,
November 5, 2008.
(C)
PALESTINIAN OBLIGATION: Take substantive
and visible actions to stop terrorists
and dismantle terrorist infrastructure
¨Abbas
has explicitly said he would
not disarm terrorist groups
or dismantle their infrastructure.
¨Abbas has said he
will stop attacks on Israel.
¨Abbas has also said
he will not use force to confront
terror.
¨Hamas rejects Abbas’s
orders.
“Gazans will continue to smuggle arms despite international efforts to stop them, Hamas parliamentarian Moushir al-Masri announced on Saturday.Al-Masri, responding to a Friday decision by several NATO member nations to help stop arms smuggling to Gaza, said 'any attempts to eliminate the Palestinian peoples' right to resistance will fail in the face of the peoples' determination.'” — Ynet news, March 14, 2009.
¨PA Interior Minister
Abdel Razzak Yahya, who is
formally in charge of the Fatah-controlled
security forces in the West
Bank, said that the PA was
determined to disarm all armed
groups as required by the road
map plan for peace in the Middle
East.
¨Similar orders given
in the past were never implemented.
¨Militant factions
vow resistance to surrendering
weapons, and use the cease-fire
period to enhance their weapons’ arsenal.
¨Abbas has acknowledged
the need for such consolidation,
and has said he will merge
the security forces into three
organizations. He has not yet
done so.
¨The
Palestinian Authority has been
unable to impose law and order
and the areas under its control
have grown increasingly chaotic.
“Following
the Revelations on the Israel Resource
Review on April 30th, 2005 and
May 1st, 2005 (www.IsraelBehindTheNews.com)
that the official Palestinian Authority
media has been alleging that Israeli
soldiers have been murdering women
at checkpoints with the use of
radiation equipment, the office
of the Israeli Prime Minister commented
that ‘The Government of Israel
rejects such charges in no uncertain
terms and sees this Palestinian
statement as part of an orchestrated
campaign of incitement against
the state and people of Israel.’”
The Government of Israel — PRINCIPAL
PHASE ONE OBLIGATIONS
(A) ISRAELI
OBLIGATION: Affirm commitment to two-state
vision
¨Implemented.
“In my vision of peace, in this small land of ours, two peoples live freely, side-by-side, in amity and mutual respect. Each will have its own flag, its own national anthem, its own government. Neither will threaten the security or survival of the other.” — Prime Minister Netanyahu, Speech at the Begin-Sadat Center at Bar-Ilan University, June 14, 2009.
“To our
Palestinian neighbors, I assure
you that we have a genuine intention
to respect your right to live independently
and in dignity. I have already
said that Israel has no desire
to continue to govern over you
and control your fate. We in Israel
have had to painfully wake up from
our dreams, and we are determined
to overcome all the obstacles which
might stand in our path in order
to realize the new chance which
has been created.” — Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon, February
8, 2005.
“For their
part, the Palestinians can then
also live in dignity and freedom
in an independent state, and, together
with us, enjoy good neighborly
relations, while cooperating for
the good of both our peoples..” — Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon, December
16, 2004.
(B) ISRAELI
OBLIGATION: Dismantle settlement outposts
erected since March 2001
¨Israel
has resumed dismantling illegal outposts.
“The Israel Defense Forces began razing about 100 "dirt mound" roadblocks from the entrances to Palestinian villages across the West Bank on Wednesday, as part of an ongoing effort to improve life for Palestinians.” — Haaretz, September 16, 2009.
“Security forces evacuated the Nahalat Yosef outpost near Elon Moreh, in northern Samaria on Monday morning.” — Jerusalem Post, June 1, 2009.
“Civil Administration and police forces on Thursday morning demolished a minor Jewish outpost named Maoz Esther near Kokhav Hashachar in Samaria, the West Bank, three days after US President Barack Obama told visiting Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu that he must call a halt to settlement activity.” — Jerusalem Post, May 21, 2009.
“The IDF on
Thursday demolished several structures
in the unauthorized outpost of
Yad Yair, near Ramallah, prompting
settler protests throughout the
area. The army declared Yad Yair
a closed military zone, announcing
that it would arrest anyone who
came near the site.” — JerusalemPost, September
18, 2008.
(D) ISRAELI
OBLIGATION: IDF withdraws from parts
of the Gaza Strip and West Bank
¨Agreed.
¨Israel
completely withdrew from the
Gaza Strip and dismantled four
settlements in the West Bank.
¨Redeployments
conditioned on a cessation
of Palestinian terror.
“Israel has decided to radically reduce its military presence in the West Bank cities of Kalkilya, Ramallah, Jericho, Jenin, and Bethlehem as part of an effort to bolster the Palestinian Authority, defense officials said on Thursday.”—Jerusalem Post, June 25, 2009.
“The Israeli army has removed a major checkpoint on the road into the West Bank town of Jericho, easing its grip on one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Jordan River valley.”—Washington Post, June 17, 2009.
“According to a statement released by the IDF Spokesperson, the Rimonim roadblock, which is located east of Ramallah and allows access to the city from the Jordan Valley area, and the Bir Zeit roadblock, were removed following consultations Monday between Judea and Samaria Division Brig.-Gen. Noam Tibon and PA Civil Affairs Minister Hussein a-Sheikh.” — Jerusalem Post, June 3, 2009.
“Yesterday evening, May 10, 2009, two roadblocks in the Ramallah area were removed, one located near the village of Ras Karkar and the other near the village of Ein Yabrud. The removal of the Ras Karkar roadblock allows free movement of vehicles between the city of Ramallah and the villages to its west, while the removal of the Ein Yabrud roadblock allows for traffic between Ramallah and villages to its east.” — Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, May 11, 2009.
“While
there have been some lowered restrictions
to access and movement, more progress
needs to be made in order for Palestinian
businesspeople and workers to be
able to conduct business in an
environment in which they can thrive.” — U.S.
Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice, JTA, October 17, 2008.
“The
Civil Administration in the West
Bank has negotiated a deal with
a number of Palestinian villages
in the Kalkilya region in which
dirt roadblocks cutting off their
access to nearby cities and roads
would be lifted in exchange for
the cessation of local terror activity.” — JerusalemPost, June
17, 2008.
“Earlier
Sunday, the IDF announced that
Israel had removed 10 roadblocks
in southern Hebron.” — JerusalemPost, June
8,
2008.
(E) ISRAELI
OBLIGATION: End actions considered
to incite Palestinians and undermine
trust
¨Israel has agreed to undertake goodwill gestures
(such as the release of Palestinian
prisoners, which is not obligated
by the Road Map), as well
as to halt actions that are
considered provocative, such
as: deportations, destruction
of Palestinian institutions
and infrastructure, and other
military measures.
¨Israel released
withheld tax and customs revenues
¨Israel
consented to the transfer
of supplies and equipment to
the PA Security
Forces, above and beyond that
called for in the Israel-Palestinian
agreements.
“Israel
freed 198 Palestinian prisoners
Monday, including the longest-serving
Palestinian detainee in an Israeli
jail, in a move Israeli officials
said was meant to strengthen Palestinian
Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.” — Washington
Post, August 26, 2008.
(F)
ISRAELI OBLIGATION: Work to improve
the humanitarian situation in Gaza
and West Bank
¨Agreed/ Initial
actions underway.
¨Israel
completely withdrew from the
Gaza Strip, giving complete control
within that area to the Palestinian
Authority.
¨Reconvened
the Bilateral Committees established
in the Oslo Accords to address
the ongoing needs of the Palestinian
Authority.
¨Expanding
economic cooperation.
“The Allenby Bridge crossing on the Israeli-Jordanian border will remain open 24 hours a day for the transfer of goods as part of the government's effort to ease the daily life of Palestinians residing in the West Bank. The decision, which was reached Wednesday [July 8] during a meeting of a ministerial committee headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Regional Development Minister Silvan Shalom, is also aimed at promoting a number of joint economic ventures with the Palestinian Authority (PA).” — Ynet, July 8,
2009.
“Israel
on Monday released 227 Palestinian
prisoners as a gesture to Palestinian
leader Mahmoud Abbas to mark the
Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha.” — Haaretz, December 15,
2008.
“Prepared
by the IDF's Civil Administration,
the report cites a three percent
drop to 16% in Palestinian unemployment
since the beginning of the year.
In addition, the report cites a
24% increase in Palestinian average
daily wages....Since the beginning
of the year, the IDF has also removed
113 roadblocks and dirt mounds
throughout the West Bank, enabling
easier travel between Palestinian
cities.” — Jerusalem
Post, December 1, 2008.
“IDF
officials have met figures in the
Palestinian Authority to coordinate
passage of Palestinian farmers
through the security barrier so
that they can harvest their olive
trees located on the Israeli side....In
advance of the olive harvest, which
runs from October through December,
Israel has issued 3,000 permits
to Palestinians so they can pass
through the barrier; the gates
will also be open for longer hours.” — Jerusalem
Post, October 6, 2008.
“Ten
road blocks have been removed in
the Hebron area to improve daily
life for Palestinians.” — JTA,
August 28, 2008.
“Israel
also dismantled a large checkpoint
south of Ramallah on Monday after
removing two others in the West
Bank in the past few days.” — Washington
Post, August 26, 2008.
“Israel...removed a checkpoint in the...West Bank on Thursday that had curbed movement outside a main Palestinian city. It was the third such checkpoint Israel has removed this month.” — Reuters, August 21, 2008.
“The
Israeli army said the checkpoint
between the city of Hebron and
a commercial crossing point into
Israel would be open for trucks
for six hours a day.” — Reuters,
August 8, 2008.
“Israel
is increasing the flow of supplies
into Gaza as an Egyptian-mediated
truce that began last Thursday
holds.” — VOA.com,
June 22, 2008.
“In
accordance with directives from
the political echelon, the IDF
has formulated an extensive plan
to ease restrictions for Palestinians
in Judea, Samaria and the Jordan
Valley. The plan will significantly
improve Palestinian lives in
the area.” —Israeli
Foreign Ministry, June 3,
2008.