An Interview with Dr. Asher Susser

By: Matt Gordner

Egypt’s failure to broker an effective reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah makes it a strong probability that the January elections will be considered illegitimate by the Palestinian people – that is, if they happen at all. Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) recently declared that the elections will be postponed pending more suitable national conditions. This, of course, renders the possibility of a virtual three state arrangement a viable reality for Israelis and Palestinians in the near future.
 

For a number of reasons, the speeches delivered this summer by Obama, Netanyahu, and Fayyad promised to bear fruit. Instead, they withered on the vine.
 

Text of the two resolutions:
A. The Government of Israel, today (Sunday), 25.5.03, considered the Prime Ministers statement on the roadmap, as well as Israelis comments on its implementation.
 
Following its deliberations, the Government, by a majority vote, resolved: Based on the 23 May 2003 statement of the United States Government, in which the United States committed to fully and seriously address Israel’s comments to the Roadmap during the implementation phase, the Prime Minister announced on 23 May 2003 that Israel has agreed to accept the steps set out in the Roadmap. The Government of Israel affirms the Prime Ministers announcement, and resolves that all of Israel’s comments, as addressed in the Administrations statement, will be implemented in full during the implementation phase of the Roadmap. A list of the comments forwarded by Israel for the review of the Administration in the United States has been attached to this decision.
 
Palestinian Authority - (As-Sultah al-Filistiniyah)
 
History in Brief
West Bank
            The September 1993 Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements provided for a transitional period of Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Under a series of agreements signed between May 1994 and September 1999, Israel transferred to the Palestinian Authority (PA) security and civilian responsibility for Palestinian-populated areas of the West Bank and Gaza. Negotiations to determine the permanent status of the West Bank and Gaza stalled following the outbreak of an intifada in September 2000, as Israeli forces reoccupied most Palestinian-controlled areas.
            In April 2003, the Quartet (US, EU, UN, and Russia) presented a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict by 2005 based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. The proposed date for a permanent status agreement was postponed indefinitely due to violence and accusations that both sides had not followed through on their commitments.
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