Joint Understanding
Read by President Bush
at Annapolis Conference
November 27, 2007
The representatives of the government of the state of Israel and
the Palestinian Liberation Organization, represented respectively
by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, and President Mahmoud Abbas in his
capacity as Chairman of the PLO Executive Committee and President
of the Palestinian Authority, have convened in Annapolis, Maryland,
under the auspices of President George W. Bush of the United States
of America, and with the support of the participants of this
international conference, having concluded the following joint
understanding.
We express our determination to bring an end to bloodshed,
suffering and decades of conflict between our peoples; to usher in
a new era of peace, based on freedom, security, justice, dignity,
respect and mutual recognition; to propagate a culture of peace and
nonviolence; to confront terrorism and incitement, whether
committed by Palestinians or Israelis. In furtherance of the goal
of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace
and security, we agree to immediately launch good-faith bilateral
negotiations in order to conclude a peace treaty, resolving all
outstanding issues, including all core issues without exception, as
specified in previous agreements.
We agree to engage in vigorous, ongoing and continuous
negotiations, and shall make every effort to conclude an agreement
before the end of 2008. For this purpose, a steering committee, led
jointly by the head of the delegation of each party, will meet
continuously, as agreed. The steering committee will develop a
joint work plan and establish and oversee the work of negotiations
teams to address all issues, to be headed by one lead
representative from each party. The first session of the steering
committee will be held on 12 December 2007.
President Abbas and Prime Minister Olmert will continue to meet on
a bi-weekly basis to follow up the negotiations in order to offer
all necessary assistance for their advancement.
The parties also commit to immediately implement their respective
obligations under the performance-based road map to a permanent
two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, issued by
the Quartet on 30 April 2003 - this is called the road map - and
agree to form an American, Palestinian and Israeli mechanism, led
by the United States, to follow up on the implementation of the
road map.
The parties further commit to continue the implementation of the
ongoing obligations of the road map until they reach a peace
treaty. The United States will monitor and judge the fulfillment of
the commitment of both sides of the road map. Unless otherwise
agreed by the parties, implementation of the future peace treaty
will be subject to the implementation of the road map, as judged by
the United States.
Please go to www.pij.org/documents/php to see the full
text of the opening remarks by United States President George W.
Bush, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas.