The following are selected excerpts from the Geneva Accord:
Permanent Status Agreement
Preamble
The State of Israel (hereinafter "Israel") and the Palestine
Liberation Organization (hereinafter "PLO"), the representative of
the Palestinian people (hereinafter the "Parties"): Reaffirming their determination to put an end to decades of
confrontation and conflict, and to live in peaceful coexistence,
mutual dignity and security based on a just, lasting, and
comprehensive peace and achieving historic reconciliation; Recognizing that peace requires the transition from the
logic of war and confrontation to the logic of peace and
cooperation, and that acts and words characteristic of the state of
war are neither appropriate nor acceptable in the era of
peace; Affirming their deep belief that the logic of peace requires
compromise, and that the only viable solution is a two-state
solution based on UNSC Resolution 242 and 338; Affirming that this agreement marks the recognition of the
right of the Jewish people to statehood and the recognition of the
right of the Palestinian people to statehood, without prejudice to
the equal rights of the Parties' respective citizens; Recognizing that after years of living in mutual fear and
insecurity, both peoples need to enter an era of peace, security
and stability, entailing all necessary actions by the parties to
guarantee the realization of this era; Recognizing each other's right to peaceful and secure
existence within secure and recognized boundaries free from threats
or acts of force; Determined to establish relations based on cooperation and
the commitment to live side by side as good neighbors aiming both
separately and jointly to contribute to the well-being of their
peoples; Reaffirming their obligation to conduct themselves in
conformity with the norms of international law and the Charter of
the United Nations; Confirming that this Agreement is concluded within the
framework of the Middle East peace process initiated in Madrid in
October 1991, the Declaration of Principles of September 13, 1993,
the subsequent agreements including the Interim Agreement of
September 1995, the Wye River Memorandum of October 1998 and the
Sharm El-Sheikh Memorandum of September 4, 1999, and the permanent
status negotiations including the Camp David Summit of July 2000,
the Clinton Ideas of December 2000, and the Taba Negotiations of
January 2001; Reiterating their commitment to United Nations Security
Council Resolutions 242, 338 and 1397 and confirming their
understanding that this Agreement is based on, will lead to, and -
by its fulfillment - will constitute the full implementation of
these resolutions and to the settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict in all its aspects; Declaring that this Agreement constitutes the realization of
the permanent status peace component envisaged in President Bush's
speech of June 24, 2002 and in the Quartet Road Map process; Declaring that this Agreement marks the historic
reconciliation between the Palestinians and Israelis, and paves the
way to reconciliation between the Arab World and Israel and the
establishment of normal, peaceful relations between the Arab states
and Israel in accordance with the relevant clauses of the Beirut
Arab League Resolution of March 28, 2002; and Resolved to pursue the goal of attaining a comprehensive
regional peace, thus contributing to stability, security,
development and prosperity throughout the region;
Have agreed on the following:
Article 1 - Purpose of the Permanent Status Agreement
1.The Permanent Status Agreement ("this Agreement") ends the era of
conflict and ushers in a new era based on peace, cooperation and
good neighborly relations between the Parties.
2. The implementation of this Agreement will settle all the claims
of the Parties arising from events occurring prior to its
signature. No further claims related to events prior to this
Agreement may be raised by either Party.
Article 2 - Relations between the Parties
1.The state of Israel shall recognize the state of Palestine
(hereinafter "Palestine") upon its establishment. The state of
Palestine shall immediately recognize the state of Israel.
2. The state of Palestine shall be the successor to the PLO with
all its rights and obligations.
3. Israel and Palestine shall immediately establish full diplomatic
and consular relations with each other and will exchange resident
Ambassadors, within one month of their mutual recognition.
4. The Parties recognize Palestine and Israel as the homelands of
their respective peoples. The Parties are committed not to
interfere in each other's internal affairs.
Article 4 - Territory
1. The International Borders between the States of Palestine and
Israel
(a) In accordance with UNSC Resolution 242 and 338, the border
between the states of Palestine and Israel shall be based on the
June 4th 1967 lines with reciprocal modifications on a 1:1 basis as
set forth in attached Map 1.
(b) The Parties recognize the border, as set out in attached Map 1,
as the permanent, secure and recognized international boundary
between them.
5. Settlements
(a) The state of Israel shall be responsible for resettling the
Israelis residing in Palestinian sovereign territory outside this
territory.
6. Corridor
(a) The states of Palestine and Israel shall establish a corridor
linking the West Bank and Gaza Strip. This corridor shall:
1) Be under Israeli sovereignty
2) Be permanently open
3) Be under Palestinian administration in accordance with Annex X
of the Agreement. Palestinian law shall apply to persons using and
procedures appertaining to the corridor
Article 5 - Security
1. General Security Provisions
(b) Palestine and Israel each shall:
i. Recognize and respect the other's right to live in peace within
secure and recognized boundaries free from the threat or acts of
war, terrorism and violence;
(b) To further security cooperation, the Parties shall establish a
high level Joint Security Committee that shall meet on at least a
monthly basis.
2. Regional Security
i. Israel and Palestine shall work together with their neighbors
and the international community to build a secure and stable Middle
East, free from weapons of mass destruction, both conventional and
non-conventional, in the context of a comprehensive, lasting, and
stable peace, characterized by reconciliation, goodwill, and the
renunciation of the use of force.
4. Terrorism
(a) The Parties reject and condemn terrorism and violence in all
its forms and shall pursue public policies accordingly. In
addition, the parties shall refrain from actions and policies that
are liable to nurture extremism and create conditions conducive to
terrorism on either side.
5. Incitement
(a) Without prejudice to freedom of expression and other
internationally recognized human rights, Israel and Palestine shall
promulgate laws to prevent incitement to irredentism, racism,
terrorism and violence and vigorously enforce them.
6. Multinational Force
(a) A Multinational Force (MF) shall be established to provide
security guarantees to the Parties, act as a deterrent, and oversee
the implementation of the relevant provisions of this
Agreement.
Article 6 - Jerusalem
1. Religious and Cultural Significance:
(a) The Parties recognize the universal historic, religious,
spiritual, and cultural significance of Jerusalem and its holiness
enshrined in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In recognition of
this status, the Parties reaffirm their commitment to safeguard the
character, holiness, and freedom of worship in the city and to
respect the existing division of administrative functions and
traditional practices between different denominations.
(b) The Parties shall establish an inter-faith body consisting of
representatives of the three monotheistic faiths, to act as a
consultative body to the Parties on matters related to the city's
religious significance and to promote inter-religious understanding
and dialogue. The composition, procedures, and modalities for this
body are set forth in Annex X.
2. Capital of Two States
The Parties shall have their mutually recognized capitals in the
areas of Jerusalem under their respective sovereignty.
5. al-Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount (Compound)
(a) International Group
1) An International Group, composed of IVG and other parties to be
agreed upon by the Parties, including members of the Organization
of the Islamic Conference (OIC) shall hereby be established to
monitor, verify and implement this cause.
(b) Regulations Regarding the Compound
1) In view of the sanctity of the Compound, and in light of the
unique religious and cultural significance of the site to the
Jewish people, there shall be no digging, excavation, or
construction on the Compound, unless approved by the two
Parties.
2) The state of Palestine shall be responsible for maintaining the
security of the Compound and for ensuring that it will not be used
for hostile acts against Israel or Israeli areas.
3) In light of the universal significance of the Compound, and
subject to security considerations and to the need not to disrupt
religious worship or decorum on the site as determined by the Waqf,
visitors shall be allowed access to the site.
6. The Wailing Wall
The Wailing Wall shall be under Israeli sovereignty
7. The Old City
(a) Significance of the Old City
1) The Parties view the Old City as one whole enjoying a unique
character. The Parties agree that the preservation of this unique
character together with safeguarding and promoting the welfare of
the inhabitants should guide the administration of the Old
City
2) The Parties shall act in accordance with the UNESCO World
Cultural Heritage List regulations, in which the Old City is a
registered site.
11. Municipal Coordination
(a) The two Jerusalem municipalities shall form a Jerusalem
Coordination and Development Committee (JCDC) to oversee
cooperation and coordination between the Palestinian Jerusalem
Municipality and the Israeli Jerusalem Municipality. The JCDC and
its subcommittees shall be composed of an equal number of residents
from Palestine and Israel.
Article 7 - Refugees
1.Significance of the Refugee Problem
(a) The Parties recognize that, in the context of two independent
states, Palestine and Israel, living side by side in peace, an
agreed resolution of the refugee problem is necessary for achieving
a just, comprehensive and lasting peace between them.
(b) Such a resolution will also be central to stability building
and development in the region.
2. UNGAR 194, UNSC Resolution 242, and the Arab Peace
Initiative
(a) The Parties recognize that UNGAR 194, UNSC Resolution 242, and
the Arab Peace Initiative (Article 2.ii.) concerning the rights of
the Palestinian refugees represent the basis for resolving the
refugee issue, and agree that these rights are fulfilled according
to Article 7 of this Agreement.
3. Compensation
(a) Refugees shall be entitled to compensation for their
refugeehood and for loss of property. This shall not prejudice or
be prejudiced by the refugee's permanent place of residence.
(b) The Parties recognize the right of states that have hosted
Palestinian refugees to remuneration.
4. Choice of Permanent Place of Residence (PPR)
The solution to the PPR aspect of the refugee problem shall entail
an act of informed choice on the part of the refugee to be
exercised in accordance with the options and modalities set forth
in this agreement. PPR options from which the refugees may choose
shall be as follows;
(a) The state of Palestine, in accordance with clause a
below.
(b) Areas in Israel being transferred to Palestine in the land
swap, following assumption of Palestinian sovereignty, in
accordance with clause a below.
(c) Third Countries, in accordance with clause b below.
(d) The state of Israel, in accordance with clause c below.
(e) Present Host countries, in accordance with clause d
below.
i. PPR options i and ii shall be the right of all Palestinian
refugees and shall be in accordance with the laws of the State of
Palestine.
ii. Option iii shall be at the sovereign discretion of third
countries and shall be in accordance with numbers that each third
country will submit to the International Commission. These numbers
shall represent the total number of Palestinian refugees that each
third country shall accept.
iii. Option iv shall be at the sovereign discretion of Israel and
will be in accordance with a number that Israel will submit to the
International Commission. This number shall represent the total
number of Palestinian refugees that Israel shall accept. As a
basis, Israel will consider the average of the total numbers
submitted by the different third countries to the International
Commission.
iv. Option v shall be in accordance with the sovereign discretion
of present host countries. Where exercised this shall be in the
context of prompt and extensive development and rehabilitation
programs for the refugee communities.
5. Free and Informed Choice
The process by which Palestinian refugees shall express their PPR
choice shall be on the basis of a free and informed decision. The
Parties themselves are committed and will encourage third parties
to facilitate the refugees' free choice in expressing their
preferences, and to countering any attempts at interference or
organized pressure on the process of choice. This will not
prejudice the recognition of Palestine as the realization of
Palestinian self-determination and statehood.
6. End of Refugee Status
Palestinian refugee status shall be terminated upon the realization
of an individual refugee's permanent place of residence (PPR) as
determined by the International Commission
7. End of Claims
The agreement provides for the permanent and complete resolution of
the Palestinian refugee problem. No claims may be raised except for
those related to the implementation of this agreement.
8. International Role
The Parties call upon the international community to participate
fully in the comprehensive resolution of the refugee problem in
accordance with this Agreement, including, inter alia, the
establishment of an International Commission and an International
Fund.
Article 15 - Palestinian Prisoners and Detainees
1.In the context of this Permanent Status Agreement between Israel
and Palestine, the end of conflict, cessation of all violence, and
the robust security arrangements set forth in this Agreement, all
the Palestinian and Arab prisoners detained in the framework of the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict prior to the date of signature of this
Agreement, DD/MM/2003, shall be released in accordance with the
categories set forth below and detailed in Annex X.