"Joint Goals" proposal

Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire plan proposed by US envoy Anthony Zinni on 26 March 2002 - full text

NOTE: This is the full text of a ceasefire plan - the "Joint Goals" proposal - put to Israeli and Palestinian negotiators on 26 March 2002 by the US special envoy, Anthony Zinni. Zinni's stated aim was to provide a mechanism for implementingan earlier ceasefire planput forward by CIA director George Tenet and agreed by both sides in June 2001.

Zinni presented his first draft on 25 March. This was followed 24 hours later by a second draft described as "a bridging proposal" which, according to Palestinian officials deviates from the Tenet plan "in a manner that positively reflects Israeli interests".

Israel said it would not allow the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, to attend an Arab summit in Beirut on March 27-28 unless he signed the document. He refused to do so.

One of the main Palestinian objections was that the document provided no guarantee that a ceasefire would be followed by peace talks or implementation of theMitchell plan. Other objections to the document are set out in the Palestinian negotiators'critique.

STEP ONE

Phase 1 – Immediate – 48 hours

GOI (Government Of Israel) and PA (Palestinian Authority) leaders make public declarations of cease-fire to their respective populations.

GOI commits to cease "proactive" operations in areas under the control of the PA, including attacks on PA Ra’is Facilities; and headquarters of Palestinian Security, Intelligence, and Police Organizations; or prisons in the West Bank and Gaza Strip unless responding in self-defense to an imminent terrorist attack.

PA issues clear orders to field commanders to take action to prevent terrorism or violent attacks, arrest persons involved in ongoing terrorist activities, ceases PA security forces involvement in inciting aiding, abetting attacks against all Israeli targets. PA and GOI issue clear orders to their field commanders and take other measures necessary to prevent individuals and groups from using areas under their respective control to carry out acts of violence.

GOI, acting on information made known to the Trilateral Security Committee, takes action against Israeli citizens inciting, carrying out, or planning to carry out violence against Palestinians, with progress reports to the Security Committee.

GOI and PA resume security cooperation through reinvigoration of DCOs based on the standards existing before September 28, 20000. GOI and PA share information on terrorists’ threats directly and through the Trilateral Security Committee followed by immediate actions and reporting of results to the Security Committee.

IDF adopts measures to reduce lethality of rules of engagement.

GOI and PA allow secure movement of security personnel within Gaza and WB, in accordance with existing agreements.

PA makes public commitment to prevent smuggling, production, acquisition of illegal weapons, prepares plan for collecting weapons, preventing smuggling, and closing factories and arresting those involved.

IDF carries out demonstrable redeployment (locations to be notified to the Trilateral Security Committee).

GOI takes demonstrable action to lift closures (locations to be notified to the Trilateral Security Committee).

PA assumes security responsibility where it has jurisdiction at locations where GOI eases security restrictions. GOI takes measures to facilitate the transfer of these responsibilities.

STEP TWO

48 Hours – End of Phase 1 – Trilateral Security Committee Meeting to Assess Progress (Phase 2: 48 Hours – 1 Week).

PA acts decisively to prevent attacks, enforce cease-fire, including arrest of activists in breach of cease-fire, action against those who incite, aid and abet such activities.

GOI and PA act to prevent incitement to violence among their respective populations.

GOI and PA allow secure movement of security personnel within and between Gaza and WB, in accordance with existing agreements.

GOI completes withdrawal from Area A, continues removal of internal closures and redeployment according to agreed schedule, including removal of permanent roadblocks in Gaza, supervised entry of vehicles at Mawasi area, removal of IDF positions from Palestinian houses, continues removal of other checkpoints and earth barriers, further redeployment of armored vehicles.

PA continues to assume security responsibility at locations where GOI eases security restrictions. GOI continues to take measures to facilitate the transfer of these responsibilities.

Trilateral committee identifies "flashpoints," each side designates senior security personnel responsible for them, develops JSOP for each.

PA presents comprehensive plan for collection of illegal weapons as defined in existing agreements including the Israel-Palestinian Interim Agreement, Annex I, articles IV and XI. PA begins actions in concert with GOI to prevent smuggling of illegal weapons. PA takes demonstrable action against weapons and mortar factories, based on PA information and information developed in conjunction with the GOI. Each side informs the security committee of the status and success of these efforts.

GOI takes specified actions to ease economic restrictions and movement of Palestinian civilians, as detailed in Israeli proposal, p. 6.

GOI identifies Palestinian prisoners, including PA security personnel, arrested in security sweeps and not involved in terrorist activities. Begins releasing prisoners in this category.

Trilateral Security Committee using information provided by the parties, identifies activists involved in planning or carrying out terrorist activities. PA takes demonstrable actions to arrest individuals on this list.

GOI re-institutes military police investigations into Palestinian deaths resulting from IDF actions in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in incidents not involving terrorism.

STEP THREE

1 Week – End of Phase 2 – Trilateral Security Meeting to Assess Progress - Phase 3 – 1 week – 4 weeks (plus or minus) (Further Trilateral Security Meetings will be held to assess interim progress during the course of phase 3)

Pursuant to agreed schedule, GOI completes redeployment and lifting of all internal closures to 28 September 2000 positions including reopening of internal roads, the Allenby bridge, Gaza Airport, Port of Gaza, and border crossings.

GOI further eases specified civilian restrictions, as detailed in Israeli proposal, p.7.

PA arrests terrorist activists from names made known to the trilateral security committee and provides the committee the names of those arrested, as soon as they are apprehended, as well as summary of actions taken.

PA takes credible and sustained judicial action ("due process") against arrested individuals for the purpose of further investigation and prosecution and punishment of all persons involved in acts of violence and terror.

PA continues to undertake preemptive operations against terrorism, continues implementation of illegal weapons collection plan, and transfer of collected weapons to a third party, continues actions to prevent smuggling. Measures include taking demonstrable action against weapons factories, laboratories, safe-houses, and arms depots at locations identified by the trilateral security committee, arrests and prosecutes individuals connected with these locations and other actions against the support structure of terrorism, including the financing of terrorist activities and mechanisms for inciting terror.

STEP FOUR

4 Weeks (plus or minus) – End of Phase 3 – Trilateral Security Committee Meets to Assess Progress and decide on Transition to Next Steps.

[See Palestinian negotiators'critiqueof this document.]