Palestine Affairs

PLO urged Israel and Egypt to do more to prevent Gaza smuggling Leaked documents underline hostility of PLO towards Hamas – but show Palestinian leadership willing to negotiate in long run.   Hamas security forces standing guard in Gaza in December. The documents show the PA willing to negotiate with Hamas 'in order to avoid the loss of Gaza and the break-up of the territories'. The Ramallah-based Palestinian leadership complained to the US envoyGeorge Mitchell in 2009 that not enough was being done to seal off tunnels breaking the siege of the Gaza Strip and urged that more be done by Israel and Egypt to prevent the smuggling of goods and weapons into the territory, leaked documents reveal. The papers underline the profound hostility of the PLO towards its Islamist rival, which grew af...

Meeting Minutes: Post-Annapolis Security Session Summary   Minutes of Security Session Post-Annapolis among Livni, Gilad, Erekat, Qurei, Attallah and others, dated February 28, 2008. The parties debate the effectiveness of security forces and mechanisms, including the situations and examples in surrounding Arab states. Israelis show skepticism at international third-party involvement. They also debate a "demilitarized" state vs. one with "limited" arms. Gilad makes reference to Hamas acts of torture against Palestinians. Erekat tells Livni he does not expect the Palestinian state to have an army. Full text Minutes from Secuity Session Post Annapolis Thursday, 28th February 2008, 5:30pm Office of Ms. Tzipi Livni, Tel Aviv   Attendees: Palestinian   Ahmed Querei (AA)  Dr. Saeb Ere...

Meeting Minutes: Saeb Erekat, Ahmed Qurei and Tzipi Livni Summary   Minutes of meeting among Erekat, Qurei and Livni. The parties discuss establishing committees on state-to-state issues and have an intense debate regarding the use of 1967 borders as a springboard for ongoing discussions and negotiations. Livni: Do not say that the terms of reference should be 1967 borders because I cannot accept this and I know your position towards 1967 borders. Qurei:If we agree on the principle of borders it will be easier for us to reach an agreement. This is better than just talking about the existence of Israelis in Hebron, Jericho, Jerusalem and its outskirts. Livni:I can understand your position with regard to 1967 borders but I cannot accept it. Qurei: Then 1949 armistice line. Livni: I ask...

Meeting Minutes: Saeb Erekat, Amos Gilad and Tzipi Livni Summary   Minutes of meeting on February 11, 2008. The meeting kicked off with a discussion on security with Israeli official Amos Gilad saying "We believe in the two-state solution but security is a precondition to that." There was also discussion on the general regional security istuation, with mention of Gaza, Jordan, Iran and Iraq. Later, a discussion ensued about whether a future Palestinian state would be "demilitarized" or have "limited militarization." Full text Meeting Minutes   Jerusalem Inpal/Larome Hotel 11 February 2008 19:30 – 21:30     Attendants:   Palestinian side:  Dr. Saeb Erekat  Colonel Hazem Atallah  Salah Ilayan   Israeli side:  Tzepi Livni  Amos Gilead  Tal Beker     Livni: After I’ve read in...

NSU Email Re: "Off the Record" Details from Blair Meeting Summary   An e-mail from Rami Dajani with details from a meeting between a Russian diplomat and Tony Blair. Blair says it will take two to three years to "get anything major accomplished on the economic front," and says the lack of any political progress since Annapolis is "discouraging and will have bad consequences." The email also includes information on Russian views and chances for a Moscow conference. Full text   From: Rami Dajani Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2008 3:32 AM To: LPU; Andrew Kuhn (Compuserve) Subject: some "off the record" information (this is hearsay so is not confirmed and not for sharing etc)   According to a Russian diplomat who attended the Blair meeting with the Quartet on Friday:   Ultimately, the mai...

NSU Email Re: Refugees and Jerusalem Issues - Bargaining Chips Summary   Email from Ziyad Clot to NSU staff regarding strategies on refugee and Jerusalem negotiations.  Clot says that potentially damaging negotiations from Palestinians on the refugee issue (e.g. Abbas offering an extremely low proposal for the number of returnees to Israel; dangerous exchange of papers between Erekat and Becker) have led the Israelis to believe they can get a good deal on the issue.  Clot stresses that the Palestinians should hold off negotiating at all on refugees until they receive a serious commitment from Israel on negotiating Jerusalem issues.  “Abu Mazen offered an extremely low proposal for the number of returnees to Israel a few weeks only after the start of the process.” “However, in the sco...

Meeting Minutes: U.S.-Palestinian Bilateral Session Summary   Ahmed Qurei tells US officials that "nothing has happened" on the implementation of Israel's obligations under Annapolis or the Road Map. The parties go on to discuss settlements, refugees, and several other issues. Full text Minutes from Bilateral US-PAL Session Post Annapolis Wednesday, 16th July 2008, 11h00am to 1h00pm State Department, Washington, DC   Attendees: Palestinian   Ahmed Querei (AA)  Dr. Saeb Erekat (SE)  Zeinah Salahi (ZS)   United States  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (CR)  David Welsh (DW)  Jake Walles (JW)  Jonathan Shwartz (JS)   Meeting Summary (not verbatim):   CR:  I’d like to first hear where you are, then push through and try to find a way to get this done.    We see this in ...

Meeting Minutes: General Plenary Meeting Summary   Minutes of meeting where the parties primarily discuss issues related to borders and Jerusalem. Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qurei tells Tzipi Livni, "I would vote for you." Livni tells the PA that Olmert's offer to take 7.3% of the West Bank for Israel in exchange for a Palestinian state "is the most generous, and will be perceived by Israelis as the most fair." The Palestinian Authority asks Israel to release some prisoners because Hamas was able to get that concession in a deal with Israel and PA officials are worried about how that will affect their popular standing with the masses. Full text Attendees: Palestinian Ahmed Qurei (AA) Dr. Saeb Erekat (SE) Salah Aleyan Rami Dajani Israeli Tzipi Livni (TL)   Udi Dekel (UD) ...

Meeting Minutes: Post-Annapolis Bilaterals and Trilateral in Berlin Summary   Minutes of bilateral meetings between Israelis and Palestinians, and Palestinians and Americans, as well as a trilateral meeting with all three parties, in Berlin. Topics of discussion focused on security issues, international involvement in security mechanisms, and the impact of Hamas. Full text Minutes from Berlin Meetings Post Annapolis Tuesday, 24th June 2008 Berlin   MEETING:  BILATERAL (PALESTINIANS – ISRAELIS) Intercontinental, 11h30am   Attendees: Palestinian   Ahmed Querei (AA)  Dr. Saeb Erekat (SE)  Zeinah Salahi (ZS)   Israeli  FM Tzipi Livni (TL)  Tal Becker (TB)  Udi Dekel (UD)  Alon(?)   Meeting Summary (not verbatim):   [Meeting opens with a discussion of internal Israeli politics, ...

Meeting Minutes: Bilateral Post-Annapolis Plenary Session Summary   The two sides discuss what they call a "gap" in their positions on core issues, from security and settlements to borders, Jerusalem and refugees. Israeli official Tzipi Livni refuses to agree on the issue of "compensation for occupation," saying Israel will not pay for the damage done to the Palestinian economy as a result of her country's decades-long occupation. Livni also suggests that an Arab village in Israel, Wadi Ara, could be swapped during the negotiations and made part of a future Palestinian state. PA official Qurei says "absolutely not." Full text Minutes from Plenary Session Post Annapolis Monday, 21st June 2008, 3h00pm Inbal Hotel, room 902, West Jerusalem   Attendees: Palestinian   Ahmed Querei (AA...