Jerusalem, 16 April 2000
PM Barak Briefs Cabinet
(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)
Prime Minister Ehud Barak today (Sunday) 16.4.2000, briefed the
cabinet on his meeting with President of the United States Bill
Clinton. He noted the importance of the meeting due to the fact
that any change in the peace process requires reaching an
understanding with the United States so that there would not be
any subsequent surprises in its positions and so that the United
States would understand Israel's Red Lines and know in advance
what positions Israel could not agree to.
The Prime Minister added that it was decided at the meeting to
accelerate the Palestinian track and that these negotiations are
making progress in Washington, as well as in the contacts here in
the region.
The Prime Minister announced that a ministerial steering
committee comprising of the coalition heads would begin work to
instruct the negotiating teams. he clarified that he expects that
there will be American bridging proposals before the Americans
are shown flexibility by both sides. Israel will examine the
possibility of bringing forward part of the third redeployment,
since, in his words, "We are interested in results and not empty
words." The Prime Minister informed the ministers that the
intention is to combine part of the third redeployment as part of
the framework agreement, which is supposed to be completed within
the next two months. The objective is to achieve an agreement
that will continue the separation between Israel and the
Palestinians and prepare good neighborly relations and
cooperation, while taking into account mutual respect and
interests.
The Prime Minister said that in all negotiations, Israel would
insist that any future Palestinian entity would be disarmed, that
an absolute majority of settlers would remain in settlement blocs
under Israeli sovereignty and no Palestinian refugees would be
permitted to enter the State of Israel. However, the Prime
Minister emphasized that no serious person would imagine that any
future entity would be a protectorate or autonomous area
comprising of non-contiguous territories or would prevent free
movement of people.
The Prime Minister reiterated that united Jerusalem would remain
under Israeli sovereignty, and that Israel has no intention of
annexing the Palestinian population residing therein. "We have
always prayed toward Jerusalem and have never directed any prayer
toward el-Azariyya and Abu Dis. The annexation of 50-70,000
Palestinians serves neither the security or any other national
interest of Israel," he said.