September 21, 1992
Searching for Common Ground:
Ten Points for Consideration
Israel's Proposals for Interim Self Government Arrangements
1) A Major Change for the Palestinians:
Israel is offering the Palestinians in the territories a major change in
their existing situation. Israel's Interim Self Government Arrangement
(ISGA)proposals accord the Palestinians an opportunity to substantially
improve the general quality of their lives, by creating a fair and
extensive framework enabling them to administer their own affairs.
The true test for the ISGA will emerge on the morning after the ISGA
agreement is reached, when the Palestinians ask themselves 'Are we
significantly better off now than we were before?'. The Israeli ISGA
proposals will stand up to this test.
2) The Palestinian Administrative Council (PAC):
As the organ of the Interim Self Government Arrangements, Israel has put
forth the concept of a Palestinian Administrative Council (PAC). This 15
member elected body would, under the ISGA agreements, assume broad powers
and responsibilities in order to deal with the vast majority of the areas
of daily life affecting the Palestinian population. These powers and
responsibilities would extend to infrastructure aspects such as land uses
and water, as will be determined in the ISGA agreement.
3) Elections for the PAC:
The Israeli proposals envision free, open and general elections, in
which the Palestinians of the territories would elect from among
themselves, the 15 members of the Palestinian Administrative Council. The
elected council members would, in turn, be accountable to their
electorate, and will discharge their designated functions in the
framework of the ISGA agreement. Such elections would be historic and
unprecedented for the Palestinians.
The election modalities would be based upon the preservation of the right
of free assembly, free expression and secret ballot.
4) The Powers and Responsibilities of the PAC:
In the ISGA agreement, the proposed PAC would be vested with wide-ranging
powers and responsibilities over the entire spectrum of their daily
lives. Israel has suggested that the PAC administer the following 15
spheres of operation:
- Administration of justice
- Administration of personnel matters
- Agriculture
- Ecology;
- Education and Culture;
- Finance, Budget and Taxation;
- Health;
- Industry and Commerce;
- Labor;
- Local police;
- Local transportation and Communication;
- Municipal affairs;
- Religious affairs;
- Social welfare;
- Tourism.
5) Executive and Judicial Functions of the PAC:
Under the ISGA agreement, the PAC, as an administrative-functional body,
would wield executive general powers within is spheres of operation,
including the power to promulgate regulations and bylaws, and to exercise
general executive functions. Within the framework of the ISGA agreement,
independent criminal and civil courts would also function under the
jurisdiction of the PAC.
6) Timetable for Negotiations and Implementation:
Once agreement is achieved between Israel and the Palestinians on the
general concept of the Palestinian Administrative Council, Israel foresee
the following timetable for the ISGA talks:
- December 1992: Complete negotiations on election modalities.
- February 1993: Conclude negotiations regarding the powers and
responsibilities to be conferred upon the PAC.
- April-May 1993: Conduct general elections for the Palestinian
Administrative Council.
7) The Interim Arrangement Principle:
The outstanding issues between Israel and the Palestinians in the
territories are too complex and too divisive to be solved today in a
permanent fashion. However, immediate efforts can still be made to move
the parties toward a future settlement. Recognizing this, the terms of
reference of the Madrid process establish that the solution of the
Israel-Palestinian issue will be negotiated in two phases first
Interim Self Government Arrangements and then, permanent status
negotiations.
The ISGA is to last for a five year period, and is meant to bring about
the kind of changes in the Palestinians' daily lives which would
contribute to the development of peaceful coexistence between the two
peoples. It is hoped that the ISGA period will create the necessary
understanding and improve the atmosphere for the future permanent status
negotiations.
8) Permanent Status Negotiations:
The negotiations between Israel and the joint Jordanian-Palestinian
delegation regarding the permanent status of the territories are meant to
begin in the third year of the Interim Self Government Arrangements. This
phase of the negotiations will be carried out on the basis of UN Security
Council Resolutions 242 and 338, as established in the ground rules of
the Madrid process. In this second phase, the permanent status issues of
territory, security and peace will be addressed.
9) Residual Powers:
Due to the interim nature of the ISGA, issues relating to Israel's
security and vital interests in the territories, and the affairs of
Israeli citizens in the territories would remain in Israel's hands in the
framework of residual powers. The disposition of these issues is subject
to the future negotiations regarding the permanent status.
10) Israel's Practical and Pragmatic Approach:
The Israeli ISGA proposals represent a flexible and viable approach to a
most complex and diverse situation. Israel's suggestions are a serious
and sincere effort to take into account the many aspects and angles of
the issue. The Israeli offer gives the Palestinians maximum control over
their lives, and substantial improvement in their daily reality, while
not prejudicing or pre-empting the outcome of the future permanent status
negotiations.