Following Israel's unilateral disengagement from Gaza and
four settlements in the northern West Bank in the summer of 2005,
the new Israeli government is formulating a follow-up plan -
convergence. Convergence is how Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's
government has described its intention of unilaterally withdrawing
from most of the West Bank, in the event of not being able to
negotiate a pullout with the Palestinians.
What follows is a document published by the Israel Prime Minister's
Office, dated April 15, 2004, detailing the procedure for the
unilateral withdrawal from Gaza and northern West Bank settlements.
The document gives an insight into the thinking behind the Israeli
concepts of disengagement and convergence.
1. General
Israel is committed to the peace process and aspires to reach an
agreed resolution of the conflict on the basis of the principle of
two states for two peoples, the State of Israel as the state of the
Jewish people and a Palestinian state for the Palestinian people,
as part of the implementation of President Bush's vision.
Israel is concerned to advance and improve the current situation.
Israel has come to the conclusion that there is currently no
reliable Palestinian partner with which it can make progress in a
bilateral peace process. Accordingly, it has developed a plan of
unilateral disengagement, based on the following
considerations: i. The stalemate dictated by the current situation is
harmful. In order to break out of this stalemate, Israel is
required to initiate moves not dependent on Palestinian
cooperation. ii. The plan will lead to a better security situation, at
least in the long term. iii. The assumption that, in any future permanent-status
arrangement, there will be no Israeli towns and villages in the
Gaza Strip. On the other hand, it is clear that in the West Bank,
there are areas which will be part of the State of Israel,
including cities, towns and villages, security areas and
installations, and other places of special interest to
Israel. iv. The relocation from the Gaza Strip and from northern
Samaria will reduce friction with the Palestinian population, and
carries with it the potential for improvement in the Palestinian
economy and living conditions. v. The hope is that the Palestinians will take advantage of
the opportunity created by the disengagement in order to break out
of the cycle of violence and to reengage in a process of
dialogue. vi. The process of disengagement will serve to dispel claims
regarding Israel's responsibility for the Palestinians in the Gaza
Strip. vii. The process of disengagement is without prejudice to
the Israeli-Palestinian agreements. Relevant arrangements shall
continue to apply.
When there is evidence from the Palestinian side of its
willingness, capability and implementation in practice of the fight
against terrorism and the institution of reform as required by the
Road Map, it will be possible to return to the track of negotiation
and dialogue.
2. Main elements
i. The Gaza Strip: 1) Israel will
evacuate the Gaza Strip, including all existing Israeli towns and
villages, and will redeploy outside the Strip. This will not
include military deployment in the area of the border between the
Gaza Strip and Egypt ("the Philadelphi Route") as detailed
below. 2) Upon completion
of this process, there shall no longer be any permanent presence of
Israeli security forces or Israeli civilians in the areas of Gaza
Strip territory which have been evacuated. 3) As a result,
there will be no basis for claiming that the Gaza Strip is occupied
territory.
ii. The West Bank: 1) Israel will
evacuate an Area in the northern Samaria area, including four
villages and all military installations, and will redeploy outside
the vacated area. 2) Upon completion
of this process, there shall no longer be any permanent presence of
Israeli security forces or Israeli civilians in the northern
Samaria area. 3) The move will
enable territorial contiguity for Palestinians in the northern
Samaria area. 4) Israel will
improve the transportation infrastructure in the West Bank in order
to facilitate the contiguity of Palestinian transportation. 5) The process will
facilitate Palestinian economic and commercial activity in the West
Bank. 6) The security fence:
Israel will continue to build the security fence, in accordance
with the relevant decisions of the government. The route will take
into account humanitarian considerations.
3. Security situation following the disengagement
i. The Gaza Strip: 1) Israel will guard
and monitor the external land perimeter of the Gaza Strip, will
continue to maintain exclusive authority in Gaza air space, and
will continue to exercise security activity in the sea off the
coast of the Gaza Strip. 2) The
Gaza Strip shall be demilitarized and shall be devoid of weaponry,
the presence of which does not accord with the Israeli-Palestinian
agreements. 3) Israel reserves
its inherent right of self defense, both preventive and reactive,
including where necessary the use of force, in respect of threats
emanating from the Gaza Strip.
ii. The West Bank: 1) Upon completion
of the evacuation of the northern Samaria area, no permanent
Israeli military presence will remain in this area. 2) Israel reserves
its inherent right of self defense, both preventive and reactive,
including where necessary the use of force, in respect of threats
emanating from the northern Samaria area. 3) In
other areas of the West Bank, current security activity will
continue. However, as circumstances permit, Israel will consider
reducing such activity in Palestinian cities. 4) Israel will
work to reduce the number of internal checkpoints throughout the
West Bank.
4. Military installations and infrastructure in the Gaza Strip
and northern Samaria
In general, these will be dismantled and removed, with the
exception of those which Israel decides to leave and transfer to
another party.
5. Security assistance to the Palestinians
Israel agrees that by coordination with it, advice, assistance and
training will be provided to the Palestinian security forces for
the implementation of their obligations to combat terrorism and
maintain public order by American, British, Egyptian, Jordanian or
other experts, as agreed with Israel.
No foreign security presence may enter the Gaza Strip or the West
Bank without being coordinated with and approved by Israel.
6. The border area between the Gaza Strip and Egypt (Philadelphi
Route)
Initially, Israel will continue to maintain a military presence
along the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt (Philadelphi
route). This presence is an essential security requirement. At
certain locations security considerations may require some widening
of the area in which the military activity is conducted.
Subsequently, the evacuation of this area will be considered.
Evacuation of the area will be dependent, inter alia, on the
security situation and the extent of cooperation with Egypt in
establishing a reliable alternative arrangement.
If and when conditions permit the evacuation of this area, Israel
will be willing to consider the possibility of the establishment of
a seaport and airport in the Gaza Strip, in accordance with
arrangements to be agreed with Israel.
7. Israeli towns and villages
Israel will strive to leave the immovable property relating to
Israeli towns and villages intact.
The transfer of Israeli economic activity to Palestinians carries
with it the potential for a significant improvement in the
Palestinian economy.
Israel proposes that an international body be established (along
the lines of the AHLC), with the agreement of the United States and
Israel, which shall take possession from Israel of property which
remains, and which will estimate the value of all such
assets.
Israel reserves the right to request that the economic value of the
assets left in the evacuated areas be taken into
consideration.
8. Civil infrastructure and arrangements
Infrastructure relating to water, electricity, sewage and
telecommunications serving the Palestinians will remain in
place.
Israel will strive to leave in place the infrastructure relating to
water, electricity and sewage currently serving the Israeli towns
and villages.
In general, Israel will enable the continued supply of electricity,
water, gas and petrol to the Palestinians, in accordance with
current arrangements.
Other existing arrangements, such as those relating to water and
the electro-magnetic sphere shall remain in force.
9. Activity of international organizations
Israel recognizes the great importance of the continued activity of
international humanitarian organizations assisting the Palestinian
population.
Israel will coordinate with these organizations arrangements to
facilitate this activity.
10. Economic arrangements
In general, the economic arrangements currently in operation
between Israel and the Palestinians shall, in the meantime, remain
in force.
These arrangements include, inter alia: i. The entry of
workers into Israel in accordance with the existing criteria. ii. The entry and exit of
goods between the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Israel and
abroad. iii. The monetary
regime. iv. Tax and customs
envelope arrangements. v. Postal and
telecommunications arrangements.
In the longer term, and in line with Israel's interest in
encouraging greater Palestinian economic independence, Israel
expects to reduce the number of Palestinian workers entering
Israel. Israel supports the development of sources of employment in
the Gaza Strip and in Palestinian areas of the West Bank.
11. Erez industrial zone
The Erez industrial zone, situated in the Gaza Strip, employs some
4,000 Palestinian workers. The continued operation of the zone is
primarily a clear Palestinian interest. Israel will consider the
continued operation of the zone on the current basis, on two
conditions: i. The existence of
appropriate security arrangements. ii. The express
recognition of the international community that the continued
operation of the zone on the current basis shall not be considered
continued Israel control of the area.
Alternatively, the industrial zone shall be transferred to the
responsibility of an agreed Palestinian or international
entity.
Israel will seek to examine, together with Egypt, the possibility
of establishing a joint industrial area in the area between the
Gaza Strip, Egypt and Israel.
12. International passages
i. The international
passage between the Gaza Strip and Egypt 1) The existing arrangements shall continue. 2) Israel is interested in moving the passage to the "three
borders" area, approximately two kilometers south of its current
location. This would need to be effected in coordination with
Egypt. This move would enable the hours of operation of the passage
to be extended. ii. The
international passages between the West Bank and Jordan:
The existing arrangements shall continue.
13. Erez crossing point
The Israeli part of Erez crossing point will be moved to a location
within Israel in a time frame to be determined separately.
14. Timetable
The process of evacuation is planned to be completed by the end of
2005.
The stages of evacuation and the detailed timetable will be
notified to the United States.
15. Conclusion
Israel looks to the international community for widespread support
for the disengagement plan. This support is essential in order to
bring the Palestinians to implement in practice their obligations
to combat terrorism and effect reforms, thus enabling the parties
to return to the path of negotiation.