Seek Peace and Pursue It

The Israel Labor Party Political Position – May 2011	| More
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1. The Israel Labor Party welcomes President Obama's vision and his statements on the changes in the Middle East and considers the advent of democracies and the advancement of human rights in our region as important parts of this vision.

2. The vision of two states for two people, that is the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel, is a strategic national interest of the State of Israel. The Israel Labor Party supports this vision and will act to advance it.

3. President Clinton's parameters, as set in 2000, are the basis for an agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. They are based on the 1967 lines and include the annexation of big settlement blocs and land swaps with the future Palestinian state.

4. Our aspiration in the long run is a permanent regional agreement. The Labor Party therefore accepts the Arab Peace Initiative as a framework of negotiations for regional peace, which will include gradual steps for the normalization of relations between Israel and the Arab world ending in full diplomatic relations; the creation of regional security mechanisms addressing shared threats and risks; and based on significant economic support by the international community and the implementation of wide-scale regional cooperation to ensure prosperity and stability.

5. As part of an agreement with the Palestinians, Labor aspires to ensure the inclusion of the big settlement blocs and the places holy to Judaism within the borders of Israel. We view this as the heart of the national consensus and will maintain this position against challenges ahead. The State of Israel should clarify that all other territories in Judea and Samaria are negotiable.

6. The Palestinian state will be demilitarized and will maintain full relations with Israel based on mutual recognition.  Palestinian refugees will return to the Palestinian state alone, within its permanent borders.

7. The following arrangements will be in force in Jerusalem:

• As per the Clinton parameters, the Jewish neighborhoods will be under Israeli sovereignty and the Palestinian neighborhoods under Palestinian sovereignty.      
• There will be a special regime for the Holy Basin and the Temple Mount. It is suggested to create a joint special administration, composed of representatives of both sides as well as of the international community.
• At the same time a process to abolish the special resident status of Palestinians in East Jerusalem will be launched.

8. Israel should engage in intermediate confidence building measures such as the freezing of settlements beyond the security fence, the advancement of significant economic projects, and the granting of permissions to thousands of Palestinian workers to be employed in the Israeli labor market.

9. Negotiations should first begin on issues of borders and security, and should proceed, three months later, on all other core issues.

10. Israel should not negotiate with elements that call for its destruction. It will cooperate with any Palestinian state that accepts the conditions set forth by the International Quartet: recognition of the State of Israel, adherence to agreements with Israel and the renunciation of terror.



* This provisional document is not final. It was approved by the LP Bureau on May 29th but needs ratification from the Political Committee.

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Comments
July 25th, 2011 - 12:08:05 Back to top^ By Sherwin Harris What about the Palestinians being required to make a committment to peace as a condition for negotiation? A cold peace will not work.
July 25th, 2011 - 12:06:07 Back to top^ By Stu Thanks for posting this. But some of this platform appears to be a retreat from Barak circa 2000 and certainly contradicts the Geneva Initiative. Refugees for example: Labor is using Tzipi Livni language: "Palestinian refugees will return to the Palestinian state alone", and doesn't even mention the ing of family reunification on an individual basis, let alone the Geneva formula in which Israel would take in refugees d on a very low percentage of the total. Also, the idea that the settlement blocs are 'not negotiable' is a very unfortunate phrase, reminding us of the imbalance of power between the occupier and the occupied. The blocs should become part of Israel as part of land swaps, but this is part of a negotiation! To say 'non-negotiable' has a very imperious ring to it. I hope that Labor makes the necessary changes before making this official, since the document as it stands feels rather stale. Stu
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