On 5 November the Israel Inner Cabinet approved the Baker Plan by a vote of 9 to 3 (Ministers Levy, Modai and Sharon voting against). The plan was acceptable to Israel on the basis of certain assumptions to be fulfilled by the U.S. Among them no PLO involvement; negotiations based on the Camp David Accords, U.S. political support in case of failure of the talks. Israel suggested the first meeting be held in Cairo. Text:
1. The minister of foreign affairs will inform the U.S. secretary of state that Israel accepts the amended five-point document of November 1, 1989 as proposed by Secretary of State Baker.
2. This, on the assumption that following this agreement, and in accordance with the secretary's letter that accompanied the five-point document, the U.S. will, for its part, undertake that the entire process will be consistent with the peace initiative of the Government of Israel of May 14, 1989, including the following clauses:
a. The dialogue will begin after the composition of a list of Palestinian Arabs, residents of Judea, Samaria and Gaza, acceptable to Israel.
b. Israel will not negotiate with the PLO.
c. The substantive issues of the dialogue will be the election process in the territories, in a manner consistent with the outline included in the peace initiative of the Government of Israel.
d. The U.S. will publicly support the above Israeli positions and will stand by Israel in the event that another party to the dialogue deviates from what has been agreed upon.
e. The U.S. and Egypt will declare their support for the principles of the Camp
David Accord s, which are the foundation of the Israeli peace initiative, including the stages of negotiations and their substance.
f. The first meeting will take place in Cairo. The next step will be considered according to the results of the first meeting.