| The Geneva Accord Problem | |
What is the Problem with the Geneva Accord?
Israeli Government
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon labeled the Geneva Accord as the most historic, tragic mistake since the failed Oslo Accords. He believes the Geneva Accord will undermine future peace negotiations. "This agreement only promises useless hopes. What right do members of the Left have to suggest steps that Israel can't, and will never take?" Sharon asked at a political rally, according to Yediot Aharonot.
Sharon also charged that the Left was working with the Palestinian Authority behind the government's back. Agriculture Minister Yossi Katz (Likud) said that a similar situation in the United States would be if the Democrats signed an agreement with Osama bin-Laden and the Taliban. Internal Security Minister Uzi Landau said he didn't understand how "Beilin and his friends, who were kicked out of power by the public twice, have the chutzpah to act behind the government's back at a time of war."
Zalman Shoval wrote that in the case of the Geneva Accord, "When you give the other side everything it wants, there's no difficulty in reaching an agreement."
Israeli Geneva Accord Negotiators
Members of the Israeli delegation that met with the Palestinians to finalize the terms of the agreement included Beilin, MK Haim Oron (Meretz), MK Amram Mitzna (Labor), MK Avraham Burg (Labor), former MK Nehama Ronen, resigned Brig.-Gen. Giora Inbar and author Amos Oz.
Mitzna said the agreement is a "cocktail" of all the understandings reached between the Israelis and the Palestinians at talks held in Oslo, Camp David and Taba. Burg said the talks proved that Israel has a partner on the Palestinian side.
Israeli supporters of the Geneva Accord claim it gives Israel veto power over the Palestinian "right of return" to Israel, an end to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and recognition of the right of the Jewish State to exist.
Beilin and Abed Rabbo flew from the talks in Jordan to meet with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo. Then Beilin plans to fly to Geneva to prepare the international conference that will coincide with the November 4 signing ceremony, according to Yediot Aharonot.
In the meantime, both sides are trying to enlist foreign support for the plan and to get the Israeli and Palestinian public to approve the plan. It has been reported that Israeli citizens will receive a copy of the agreement in the mail; It was not revealed who would pay for the mass mailing. According to Haaretz, the Swiss Foreign Ministry financed and mediated the negotiations.
Palestinian Geneva Accord Negotiators
Palestinians who
participated in the Geneva Accord talks in Jordan are either insisting they
did not waive "right of return" or refusing to comment on that concession.
Former Palestinian minister of prisoners' affairs, Hisham Abdel Razeq, stated
that the Palestinians do not waive the right of return of refugees to their
former homes within the Green Line in the unsigned Geneva Accord draft. PLC
Member Kadura Fares refused to say in a live radio interview that the Palestinians
had agreed to forego the "right of return."
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page > [What is the Problem with all Israeli-Arab
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3,
Sources
Haaretz - The Geneva
Accord - pure subversion, by Zalman Shoval
Israel Insider - Sharon:
"Geneva Accord" is most historic, tragic mistake since Oslo, by
Ellis Shuman
Jerusalem Post - Interesting
Times - Beilin's retro chic, by Saul Singer
Miftah.org - The "Geneva
Accord"
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