A clandestine undertaking on behalf of Israel, the Jets and the Jews.

 
Times Grossly Misrepresents Geneva Accord

Today's Times misrepresents the Geneva Accord to a shocking extent.

A short article headlined 'What Each Side Would Agree To' lists the "highlights." My corrections and clarifications appear in italics below each item:

A DEMILITARIZED PALESTINIAN STATE would be created and Jerusalem would split into two capitals.

In fact, Palestine would be allowed to have weapons as "specified in Annex X." References to Annex X appear throughout the Geneva Accord, but Annex X has not been completed or published. In any event, any proposed changes to Annex X are to be considered by a Multinational Force. If no agreement is reached regarding changes to the weapons Palestine may possess, a group comprised of the U.S., Russian, the EU, the UN "may make its own recommendations."

ISRAEL would withdraw to the borders existing before the 1967 war. Some major settlements would be dismantled, although 75 percent of Jewish settlers would stay in Palestinian territories under Israeli protection.

The Times' reference to settlers staying in "Palestinian territories" is completely wrong, since these areas would be annexed to Israel and would not be under "Israeli protection" but under Israeli sovereignty. Further, the 75 percent number is inaccurate, as it includes Jewish neighborhoods in Jerusalem that are not considered "settlements." Of the residents of settlements in the West Bank, only about half would be allowed to remain, with the other half forced to evacuate. All Gaza settlements would be evacuated.

ISRAEL would give up parts of the Negev adjacent to its border with the Gaza Strip.

Israel would indeed exchange parts of the Negev for several large settlements.

PALESTINIANS would waive the right of about 3.6 million people whose families became refugees in the 1948-49 Arab-Israeli war to return to what is now Israel.

The Palestinians do not have any right to return to Israel, so the Times' statement that they "would waive the right... to return to what is now Israel" is nonsensical. Furthermore, nowhere in the Geneva Accord do Palestinians concede that refugees cannot "return" to Israel. This issue is in fact left vague, and Palestinians are already insisting that Geneva recognizes a right of return.

Israel also is required to pay compensation to refugees "for their refugeehood and for loss of property" and "remuneration" to "states that have hosted Palestinian refugees." In other words, Israel would accept responsibility for the refugee problem, which resulted from Israel's failure to lose its 1948 War of Independence, which started when Israel was invaded by five Arab countries. The amount of compensation to refugees would be determined by "a Panel of Experts" to be appointed by an "International Commission" comprised of the UN, the U.S., the refugee's Arab host countries, the EU, Switzerland, Canada, Norway, Japan, the World Bank, and Russian

ISRAEL would cede sovereignty over a flash point shrine in Jerusalem's walled old city known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary. The site would get international monitors. Israel would retain control of the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site.

The Temple Mount is Judaism's holiest site, not the Western Wall. While the Western Wall is slated to be under Israeli sovereignty, the Palestinians have said that this will apply only to the Wall itself, not to the surrounding area around the Wall.

PALESTINIANS would disarm, recognize Israel as a Jewish state and end violence and incitement against Israel.

The Palestinians will not "recognize Israel as a Jewish state." Rather, they would recognize "the right of the Jewish people to statehood." Both Israel and Palestine would make "comprehensive and continuous efforts against all aspects of violence and terrorism." Similarly, with respect to incitement, both Israel and Palestine would be required to "promulgate laws to prevent incitement," implying that Israel incites and commits terrorist acts against Palestinians.
posted on 12/02/2003