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April 15, 2002
Embassy Briefing
- Regional Peace Conference Initiative
- The Palestinians must first end their terrorism. Only then
will Israel be able to withdraw its forces; Israel must protect
its citizens. Israel has no interest whatsoever in remaining
in the territories, and will withdraw as soon as true calm
has been restored.
- Once Operation Defensive Shield has been completed, Prime
Minister Sharon's groundbreaking proposal of a regional conference
would be a desirable and appropriate means to rejuvenate the
peace process with the aim of achieving a mutually acceptable
solution.
- The United States would sponsor the regional conference.
Israel, Palestinian representatives Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia,
Morocco, and the US would be among the parties attending such
a conference - the members of a future Coalition of Peace.
- The key to the convening of this conference lies in the
formula put forward by the US National Security Adviser, Condoleeza
Rice: the Palestinians must end their terrorism, they must
also publicly renounce terrorism and this will be followed
by an Israeli withdrawal from the territories.
- The parties will attend the conference without preconditions.
Each party will present its ideas and proposals for discussion.
Israel will be ready to make far-reaching concessions to achieve
peace, just as in the past. Israel will continue to play a
constructive role, although the ongoing Palestinian terrorism
continues to undermine any chances of progress.
- Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres stated today that
the convening of a Regional Middle East Peace Conference is
essential. According to Peres, such a conference should outline
a political horizon, while also having an economic dimension
and providing for the rehabilitation of the territories.
Minister Peres added that the Regional Peace Conference should
be conducted without a rigid agenda or ultimatums, and that
it should in effect be a 'brain-storming' session aimed at
finding solutions.
When asked whether Arafat would participate in the proposed
conference, Mr. Peres stated succinctly that every people
chooses its own representatives. Minister Peres added that
Israel intends do everything possible to ensure the success
of Secretary of State Powell's mission.
- Jenin
- Yesterday, (April 14), Israel opened the territories to
the foreign journalists. In Jenin, the foreign media discovered
for themselves that Palestinian claims of a 'massacre' were
totally false. The evidence in Jenin clearly shows that there
was a fierce battle in which Israeli soldiers and Palestinian
terrorists were killed, not civilians. Dozens of terrorists
were killed in the fighting, but not hundreds, as the Palestinians
have claimed in their campaign of disinformation. The Palestinian
use of the 'big lie' has been exposed for all to see.
- Israel has undertaken to facilitate the burial of the bodies
of Palestinians killed in Jenin. The burial process will be
carried out in coordination with Palestinian elements and
the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross). As a
first stage, the bodies will be identified, and they will
then be buried. In the event that the Palestinians refuse
to carry out the burials, Israel will conduct the burials
itself.
- Bethlehem
- In regard to Bethlehem, it must be emphasized that negotiations
on this issue are at an advanced stage. Yesterday, Israel
supplied food and medicine to the priests in the Church of
the Nativity. Israel has made it very clear that it regards
all holy places as sacrosanct and inviolable. The terrorists
will not succeed in changing this policy, even if this means
that the terrorists hiding away in the Church temporarily
escape punishment.
Moshe Fox
Minister of Public Affairs
Embassy of Israel, Washington DC
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