Palestinians to Press Israel on Four “Key Issues” Ahead of Annapolis – Minister

Text of report in English by independent, non-governmental Palestinian Ma’an News Agency website

["PNA to Press Israel on Four Key Issues Before Annapolis" - Ma'an headline]

Ramallah, 19 November (Ma’an) -The West Bank-based Palestinian government announced on 19 November that it would request Israel’s formal commitment to four components of the international Road Map peace plan in advance of the US-backed peace summit in the United States.

Speaking at a press conference in the West Bank city of Ramallah on 19 November, Palestinian Information Minister Riyad Al-Maliki said the Palestinian cabinet would ask Israel to halt settlement construction including so-called “natural growth,” dismantle West Bank outposts, reopen Palestinian institutions in East Jerusalem and lift restrictions on Palestinian freedom of movement.

Al-Maliki said Israeli commitment to these measures would increase Arab participation in the upcoming peace conference in Annapolis. He also said that Israeli and Palestinian negotiators had “almost” reached agreement on the “core issues.”

Nablus Security

Al-Maliki said the Palestinian [National] Authority (PNA) is entering the second phase of a US and Israeli-sponsored security plan in the West Bank, which involves ridding “Palestinian cities of security chaos, fostering the security services, reconstructing the security headquarters, prisons, military bases and courts especially the judiciary and tourist police.”

As for the city of Nablus, where PNA security forces have been engaged in a two-day standoff with Palestinian resistance fighters in a refugee camp, he said, “We have been able to form real power which will enable us to arrest wanted people and collect illegal weapons.” Palestinian cabinet ministers also discussed the expected announcement of a new economic plan from Quartet Envoy Tony Blair. The economic proposal, the ministers said, will include projects in the Jericho region of the West Bank, sewage treatment in the Gaza Strip, and a plan for increasing tourism in Bethlehem.

Originally published by Ma’an News Agency website, Bethlehem, in English 1657 19 Nov 07.

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