By Haitham Sabbah
A draft of the Obama peace plan, which is expected to be released at the UN Assembly meeting in New York, or at the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh, has surfaced.
The International Middle East Media Center's website leaked the alleged draft of Obama's peace plan given to them by Palestinian Legislator Hasan Khreisha. Khreisha added that the draft has been widely distributed among Palestinian and Arab leaders and the Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, recently discussed the plan during his visit to the White House.
According to Khreisha, the draft includes ten main points detailed as follows:
1. International presence in the Jordan Valley, Palestinian Plains area, and other areas in the West Bank.
2. Annexing some parts of East Jerusalem to remain under Israeli control, while Muslim holy site would be under Arab control.
3. All Palestinian factions would be dissolved and transformed into political parties.
4. Large settlement blocs in the West Bank would remain under Israeli control, while negotiations would be conducted within three months of the plan agreement?, to discuss the future of smaller settlements.
5. Several areas in the West Bank would be disarmed, and Israeli would maintain aerial control.
6. Intensifying the Palestinian-Israeli security coordination.
7. The Palestinian Authority would not be allowed to have military alliances with regional countries.
8. The United States would guarantee the establishment of a Palestinian State in the summer of 2011.
9. Allowing an agreed upon number of refugees to return, and to be settled in the Plains area and other areas in the West Bank, particularly in the cities of Ramallah and Nablus. A special fund for supporting the refugees would also be established.
10. Israel starts releasing the Palestinian political detainees immediately after the peace deal is signed. Three years would be allocated for the release of the detainees.
No one can be sure this is the final draft of the Obama peace plan, but it has the resonance of credibility.
Besides its many flaws, the peace plan should have begun with ending the US/Israel siege of Gaza. That would have been a signal that the US and Israel are really serious about peace in the Holy Land. The plan fails to address boarders, water, trade and the apartheid wall.
The 11,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israel will be released over a period of "three years", longer than Guantanamo Bay. The question we want to ask is: will Marwan Barghoutti be released in time to partake in the negotiations? The answer to this is obviously, no.
US expect Israel to accept these terms on the premise that the Obama Administration adopts a stronger position towards halting Iran's nuclear ambitions. The same nuclear program that US chief of intelligence has confirmed in his findings in a 2007 report, did not exist.
Even if Abbas and Arab administration accept this plan (which will not be accepted by majority of Palestinian people and millions of their supporters around the world), Israel will again fool US Administration to fulfill their part toward Iran but in return Israel will not move one step towards peace.
Another four to eight years - the age of Obama Administration in office - will pass, nothing will change on ground more than more Palestinian lands will be stolen by Israel and more Palestinians and innocents in both sides will be killed.
{ 5 comments }
Ah yes, Obama as “The Joker.” How appropriate! Even Americans who voted for him (I was not one of them.) have been forced to acknowledge that he is not what he advertised himself to be: the agent of “Change.” Many are now saying that the Obama administration is really Bush’s third term! McCain, or “Son of Cain,” would have been just as bad, perhaps even worse. McCain, I think, is frankly insane.
The person who actually occupies the office of president of the United States is not of the slightest significance any more. Our government, from top to bottom, as well as most of our society, is controlled by Zionist Jews. As long as that is the case, NOTHING will change with regard to U.S. policy in the Middle East. American politicians know that if they cross the Jews their political life is OVER, and that if they REALLY irritate the Jews, they will be assassinated.
Agree about Gaza and inhumane treatment of the inhabitants who have the right to be there sans the illegal occupation. Do not know what goes on with Obama. it would seem that he’s not getting enough outcry from non-zionist Americans. Taxpayers should be yelling about having to pay for an illegal, brutal occupation and the bribes being paid to US elected officials euphemistically called “campaign contributions.” A bribe is a bribe. Every one of our politicians are bribed and this should be outlawed. People have to speak out because that is the main problem our country has right now. It is breaking the backs of American taxpayers. Wars instigated by zionists like Wolfowitz, Perle, etc. who were able to lead a very uninformed Bush to war, and Bush left a 3 trillian $ debt on just the war on Iraq, a war that was not necessary but Israel wanted it and the bribes paid off.
Where are the rich oil producing Arab countries? Why don’t they form their own central lobby while bribes are still going on? Where are they?
Frankly, it sounds like a Made-in-Israel piece of “divide and conquer” Balkanization of Palestine and Jerusalem bit by bit, under the umbrella of an Israeli Air Force command and control of the skies Israeli-banner-blue, charade, just like most of the rest of Obama’s speeches. Perhaps it should be added to the boycott list of Israeli products which I am no longer buying.
I have no great hopes.
Debbie Menon
That’s the same tripe which was not accepted by Palestinians (and why should they?) in the sixties and seventies and eighties.
How is it okay for Israel to steal SO much Palestinian land and prevent the origial inhabitants from having a military OR their own air-space? Doesn’t Obama know this didn’t work in the past and really shows no chance of working today? I mean, WHO is going to disarm the settlers? Who is going to stop the IDF from killing more and more Palestinians? Who, in the Israeli government will even DO what is in Obama’s plan?
AIPAC has Obama in their pocket and Obama doesn’t even realise this.
What a mess. Until the USA stops handing Israe so much in weaponry, munitions bulldozers, etc…, there will be NO peace. There cannot be two states when one of them is far too powerful, because of the USA.
I am American and I see this as a big mistake– or a ridiculous assertion (that there can be peace and two countries by next year). israel will not stand for it!
Palestins should not stand for it, either!
Bottom line: what Palestinians want, is postponed. What Israelis want is done.
Great blog, thank you for your efforts.
{ 6 trackbacks }