Camp David and Taba
Often, Middle East "experts," commenting on failed peace efforts, claim that former Prime Minister Barak offered 97 percent of the West Bank at Camp David in August 2000. In fact, Barak offered much less than that at Camp David. The 97 percent figure is based on the Clinton Plan, upon which Israel and the PA negotiated at Taba in January 2001. Even at Taba, Israel offered between 95 and 96 percent of the West Bank (including land within pre-1967 Israel), rather than 97 percent.
The distinction is not semantic or just a pet peeve. While few seem to have noticed, in interviews over the last few years, whenever asked Barak has disavowed his concessions at Taba, and insists that a final status agreement be based on Camp David. And while I believe the Camp David concessions to have been excessive, they would have allowed settlements in which 80 percent of the settlers reside to have been annexed and offered far less egregious concessions in Jerusalem that were offered at Taba.
Upon boarding the airplane that took him to Camp David, Barak promised not to give up the Jordan Valley or to divide Jerusalem. He promptly broke those promises, and offered approximately 92 percent of Judea and Samaria (including the Jordan Valley, though only after a number of years). He also agreed to a Palestinian capital in parts of Jerusalem, but did not offer any concessions in the Old City.
The Clinton Plan went much further, calling on Israel to give up 94-96 percent of the West Bank, plus 1-3 percent from land in pre-1967 Israel. The total was meant to be 97 percent, but Israel apparently offered 95-96 percent at Taba while the PA demanded around 99 percent. The Clinton Plan called on Jerusalem to be divided, with Israel annexing Jewish areas and the Palestinians receiving Arab areas. Since that formula made no sense on the ground (
i.e., generally to walk to the Western Wall or the Jewish Quarter one has to pass through the Muslim Quarter) at Taba the parties discussed alternate ways to divide Jerusalem.
Barak's offers at Camp David, and the Clinton Plan, both were to expire and be deemed null and void following Palestinian rejection of them. Unfortunately, however, there seems to be a sense that every new round of negotiations must pick up where the maximum Israeli concession left off. It is therefore crucial that in accordance with Barak's position, at most, any future negotiation or final status peace plan is based on the concessions offered at Camp David, not at Taba.
posted on 9/25/2003
