Brit Tzedek v'Shalom

Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace

INTERVIEW WITH YASSER ABED RABBO, FORMER PALESTINIAN INFORMATION MINISTER.

AL JAZEERA
NOV. 17, 2003

Q: Mr. Yasser, you called for a national conference to adopt the Geneva document. Will you really succeed in marketing this agreement and convincing the Palestinians of its content, knowing that it doesn't touch on the right of refugees or the right of return?

YASSER ABED RABBO: No, this is not true at all. This summary can be considered as the resorts of all forces that are trying to distort this agreement. This document tackles the right of refugees' return and declares that the solution base is the Arab peace initiative that called for an agreement over the refugee issue and UN resolution no 194.

In fact, our starting point was Clinton's five alternatives for solving the refugee issue that has been adopted by the Palestinian Authority. These alternatives included the return of a limited number of refugees to Israel, others to the Palestinian territories and to the areas that will be reciprocated with Israel.

In addition, the agreement included total compensation for the refugees in return for all their psychological and financial losses they sustained. Therefore, it's not rational at all to deal with this agreement as if it neglects the basic sector of the Palestinian people, meaning the refugees.

On the other hand, I would like to confirm, in this context, that we are sure that the Palestinians who endured all forms of violence, oppression and terrorism over the past years - this people who adopted and supported the peace alternative, now sees the document as a fulfillment of it's major demands. These demands are represented in having an independent state with full sovereignty, and having Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital. This document included also a complete and comprehensive control over 100% of it's land, including complete control over all the Islamic and Christian holy places - to be finally capable of building it's future and the future generation. This is the alternative, and, in this context, we would like to inform the Israelis that they are welcome to share peace with us, knowing that this document states our minimum demands at the time where we know that this is the maximum that they can offer.

But, what we know for sure is that there will be no other solution in the future, even if the oppression, killing and the isolation wall never stop. There is no way out other than this solution.

Q: As part of the agreement, some items talk about keeping some settlements that are within the Palestinian territories under Israeli control, as in Jerusalem, Qalqilia and Bethlehem. Does this mean that you agree on their right to do so?

YASSER ABED RABBO: No, this is not true. As we have mentioned in Camp David negotiations and after that, if Israel is willing to join some settlements that are located on the borders, then they have to completely compensate for these lands to the Palestinian. This can be done through compromising the same area space and value of the lands that will be exchanged, which is 2.5%. In fact, this percentage is less than the percentage that has been suggested in Camp David or Taba.

Finally, this is the solution that we have foreseen. This solution that doesn't mean keeping the settlements, but it adopts mutual modifications in terms of the borders between both sides. This agreement guarantees the Palestinians having 100% of the land.