The Third Way Platform- Peace and Security

B. PRINCIPLES OF THE PERMANENT STATUS ARRANGEMENT:

1. he Jewish people have a right to the land of Israel, its historic homeland.

2. Israel is entitled to retain territories captured in a war of defense.

3. Israel's identity as the national home of the Jewish people will be maintained.

4. Israel's identity as a democratic Jewish state committed to the protection of human rights will be ensured.

5. The current deployment of Israeli Jewish settlement will serve as the basis.

6. Israeli control of vital areas will be ensured.

7. Settlements will not be removed.

8. Decisions of existential import will be adopted by a special majority.

9. An independent Palestinian autonomy will be establishment, with political separation between the Israeli and Palestinian populations in Judea, Samaria and Gaza.

10. Permanent geopolitical arrangements and the Israeli terms for its realization will be determined according to dangerous-situation scenarios rather than optimistic predictions.

11. Israel's ability to defend its existence, by itself, in any circumstance, will be ensured.

C. PRINCIPLES FOR THE TARGET-PLAN

1. The application of Israeli sovereignty to those territories vital to Israel's existence, security and growth, in which the Arab population is sparse.

2. A widespread and solid distribution of the Jewish population in the land of Israel, in order to prevent Israel from being reduced to a coastline state which is narrow, crowded and vulnerable (in terms of both security and ecology).

3. Territorial division, in such manner which will allow for a political separation between Israel and the Palestinian Autonomy.

4. A proposed framework for functional arrangements and cooperation between Israel and the Palestinian Autonomy.

5. The development of settlements and an intensive effort to populate the entire eastern "backbone" of Israel (from the Golan Heights to Eilat).

D. JERUSALEM

1. Jerusalem, united and undivided, Israel's capital and the center of the Jewish people, will forever remain under Israeli sovereignty. Jerusalem's centrality in the future map of the State of Israel and its status as a capital can only be attained if the city will not be located on the state's border. As part of the permanent status arrangement, Israeli sovereignty will be applied to the extended Jerusalem corridor, from the coastal plain (the western "backbone") to the Jordan River, between the Beit Horon axis in the north and the Gush Etzion axis in the south.

2. The Third Way will take action to ensure that members of all religions and peoples enjoy free access to the holy sites, as well as freedom of speech and worship in these places. The special religious status of Moslem and Christian holy places will be ensured, under their own management.

3. The effort to strengthen the status of unified Jerusalem in the center of the Israeli map will be based on government support for the accelerated development of the Jerusalem corridor and a "Jerusalem-supportive" zone along the eastern "backbone" (between Arad and Ma' ale Ephraim), which will enjoy priority-area status in the following realms: economic infrastructure development, the encouragement of high-tech industry, the strengthening of higher education as well as research and medical institutions, professional training, additional housing and encouragement grants aimed at attracting both veteran Israelis (including young couples) and immigrants.

E. THE JORDAN VALLEY AND THE EASTERN BACKBONE

The entire length of Israel's eastern "backbone", from the Golan Heights and the eastern Galilee, through the Jordan Valley, the Judean desert and the Arava, to Eilat, are vital to Israel's future in times of peace as well as war. The eastern "backbone" serves as a civilian and security buffer between the state of Israel and any eastern front. It is rich in natural resources, its climate is suited to support large-scale population, and it is vital in order to prevent Israel from being ecologically smothered and transformed into a narrow and crowded coastline state.

Therefore, the State of Israel shall make the development and population of the entire eastern sector a central national project, to which extensive resources will be directed. The accelerated population of the eastern sector will counterbalance the dangerously exclusive settlement of the coastal area.

F. JUDEA, SAMARIA AND THE GAZA REGION

1. As part of a permanent status arrangement in Judea, Samaria and Gaza, Israeli sovereignty will be applied to the following areas:

   In the Eastern sector - the Jordan Valley, the eastern slopes of Samaria, the northern shore of the Dead Sea, the Judean desert and the southern Mount Hebron area. Israeli sovereignty will also apply over all clusters of Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria, as well as Gush Katif in the Gaza region. Historic sites relevant to the Israeli heritage will also remain under Israeli rule.

2. The vital interests of Israel as regards natural resources in Judea, Samaria and Gaza (including water), ecology, air space, etc., will be ensured through functional agreements in accordance with pre-conditions that will guarantee the prevention of damage or neglect.

   In the settled areas of Judea, Samaria and Gaza, a demilitarized, independent Palestinian autonomy will function according to terms necessitated by considerations of Israel's future and security.

3. According to the permanent status map outlined by The Third Way, more than ninety percent of the Jewish inhabitants of Judea, Samaria and Gaza (according to their current distribution) will reside in an unbroken stretch of sovereign Israeli territory, and over ninety percent of the Palestinian inhabitants will reside within the boundaries of the Palestinian autonomy.

G. THE GOLAN HEIGHTS

1. As the Knesset has decreed, the Golan Heights are an integral part of the State of Israel. The Golan Heights are an area for future development, and are vital to ensuring the safety of northern Israel and protecting the state's water sources.

2. Any peace treaty with Syria must ensure Israeli sovereignty over the areas containing Israeli settlements, water sources and vital lines of defense.

3. Israel will accelerate and strengthen settlement and civilian development of the Golan Heights.

H. LEBANON AND THE NORTHERN BORDER

1. The achievement of peace along the northern border is dependent upon the restoration of Lebanese independence, the establishment of the complete control by an independent Lebanese government over its territories, and the elimination of the Islamic fundamentalist and Palestinian terrorist organizations.

2. Lebanon's independence, the withdrawal of the Syrian army and a peace treaty with Israel will make it possible for Israeli forces to withdraw from southern Lebanon while ensuring the safety of south Lebanese residents and of the South Lebanese Army soldiers.