In the week before the departure of the Prime Minister for talks in Washington, the Cabinet held a series of discussions aimed at clarifying its positions on both final status Negotiations and interim agreements with the Palestinian Authority. On 14 January, the Cabinet defined areas of vital national interests in Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley. It was seen that the security zones would comprise some 60% of the West Bank area. Text:
At the Cabinet meeting today (Wednesday), 14.1.98:
1. The Prime Minister announced that Israel is not presenting new conditions of any kind regarding the redeployment. The conditions were determined in the "Note for the Record" of 15 January 1997, that accompanied the Hebron Accord, and we insist that they be implemented.
2. Regarding the recent uncovering of a terrorist group, the Prime Minister said that the group, which intended to carry out further terrorist attacks, has had an extensive infrastructure composed of dozens of activists in areas under the control of the Palestinian Authority. This is a failure of the Palestinian Authority, which has not carried out the basic intelligence and operational activities needed to foil terrorism.
3. The Cabinet made the following decision:
The Government of Israel establishes that Israel's vital and national interests in Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley, as presented in the Cabinet meetings of 26 and 30 November 1997, and on tours of the areas on 23 and 28 December 1997, will constitute the basis of the interim agreement and the final status agreement with the Palestinians.
These vital interests include the following components, which partly overlap:
1. The eastern security zone.
2. The western security zone.
3. The area surrounding the Jerusalem region.
4. The areas of the Israeli communities.
5. Infrastructure interest, including water, electricity and transportation.
6. Military-security sites of strategic importance or pertinent to Israel's deterrence capability.
7. The areas around longitudinal and lateral transportation routes vital to general security and to the security of the Israeli communities.
8. Historic sites sacred to the Jewish people.