Palestinian Obligation And Violation Of Peace Process

Collected by: Cleveland

Palestinian Obligations & Violations of Peace Process

Violated Vows: Arafat's Betrayal of the Peace Process (10.1.02)

The Israeli-Palestinian peace process, based on the Oslo Accords, is a series of agreements requiring the Palestinian Authority to accept Israel as a state and renounce violence. Despite repeated promises to "undertake a ceasefire initiative." and a pledge to ".pursue, including declaring as outside the law, all illegal organizations and bodies that carry out terrorist activities,"[Arafat's address to the Palestinian people, Dec. 16, 2001] Yasir Arafat has refused to back up his words with deeds.

Pledge: Renounce Terror and Prevent Attacks

"...the PLO renounces the use of terrorism and other acts of violence and will assume responsibility over all PLO elements and personnel in order to ensure their compliance, prevent violations and discipline violators." [Exchange of Letters, 9 September 1993]

"Both sides shall take all measures necessary in order to prevent acts of terrorism, crime and hostilities directed against each other...The Palestinian Police will act systematically against all expressions of violence and terror..." [Interim Agreement, 28 September 1995]

"Both sides ... undertake to create an environment for negotiations free from pressure, intimidation and threats of violence." [Trilateral Statement, 25 July 2000]

Violation:

Palestinian rioters, armed militia, and members of the Palestinian security forces have attacked Israeli civilians and soldiers, causing deaths, injury and extensive damage to property. Since the PA launched their violent campaign in Sept. 2000, they have killed 455 Israelis in more than 20,000 attacks. These attacks have averaged 10 to 20 per day. [Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, www.mfa.co.il]

Pledge: Apprehend and Prosecute Terrorists

"The Palestinian Police will arrest and prosecute individuals who are suspected of perpetrating acts of violence and terror." [Interim Agreement, 28 September 1995]

"The Palestinian side will apprehend the specific individuals suspected of perpetrating acts of violence and terror for the purpose of further investigation, and prosecution and punishment of all persons involved in acts of violence and terror." [Wye River Memorandum, 23 October 1998]

Violation:

Instead of dismantling U.S.-designated terrorist organizations, like Hamas and Islamic Jihad, Arafat has negotiated a deal with terrorist leaders. The deal has resulted in a temporary reduction of terrorist attacks inside the Green Line and a promise from the PA not to arrest senior members of these groups. [The New York Times; The Jerusalem Post, Dec. 23, 2001]

Arafat has arrested only low-level perpetrators of terror. Iman Halawa and Jassar Samaaru, responsible for the Dolphinarium disco attack that killed 23 Israeli teenagers, Kayes Aduan Abu-Jabal, responsible for the bombing of the Sbarro pizzeria in Jerusalem that killed 15 Israeli civilians and the murderers of Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze'evi, remain at large and continue to plan attacks against Israelis.[Yedioth Ahronoth, Jan. 3, 2002]

Pledge: Ensure that the PA Police is the Only Armed Force

The only armed Palestinians are supposed to be the PA police forces, and their total number is not to exceed 30,000, with 12,000 in the West Bank and 18,000 in Gaza. [Interim Agreement, 28 September 1995]

Violation:

The Palestinian leadership maintains, supports and encourages groups of armed militias operating in Palestinian areas, which attack Israeli civilians and soldiers.[Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, www.mfa.co.il]

As of last year, the Palestinian police force exceeded the agreed-upon permitted levels by at least 10,000. In March 2000, the Palestinians provided Israel with a list of 39,899 policemen. According to a State Department report "elements of the PA security forces and Chairman Arafat's Fatah faction within the PLO were deeply involved in the violence. In particular, the Tanzim wing of Fatah and the Presidential Security force (Force 17) were responsible for a significant percentage of the violent attacks on Israelis." [State Department's PLO Commitments Compliance Act Report (PLOCCA), Sept. 12, 2001]

Pledge: Confiscate All Illegal Weapons

"Any illegal arms will be confiscated by the Palestinian Police." [Interim Agreement, 28 September 1995]

"The Palestinian side will establish and vigorously and continuously implement a systematic program for the collection and appropriate handling of all such illegal items [firearms, ammunition or weapons]..." [Wye River Memorandum, 23 October 1998]

Violation:

The Palestinian Authority has engaged in a prolonged effort to smuggle and manufacture illegal weapons to use against Israeli civilians and soldiers.[IDF Chief-of-Staff Lt. Gen. Shaul Mofaz, Jan. 4, 2002]

Israelis have foiled attempts to smuggle arms nearly a dozen times. Counter-terrorism expert Boaz Ganor says that the recent Israeli seizure in the Red Sea of the Karine A, a ship carrying 50 tons of illegal, Iranian-made weapons, is "just the tip of the iceberg, and that the PA already has a stash of weapons." [The Jerusalem Post, May 8, 2001]