While Prime Minister Netanyahu has publicly declared that there would be no additional Israeli withdrawals before the Palestinians satisfactorily address a series of issues – including the seizure and removal of illegal weapons – today’s Cabinet decision leaves Netanyahu with considerable leeway.

The Cabinet decided that “Israel will complete implementation of its commitments in the process when the Palestinian Authority fulfills its commitments.”

By using the word “complete” [in Hebrew tashlim] rather than “continue”, Netanyahu leaves open the possibility of carrying out the second withdrawal set in Wye since this would not constitute “completion”.

In contrast to this wording, 13th January, 1998 Cabinet decision was the considerably more explicit “additional redeployment is conditional on the Palestinians’ implementation of their commitments.”

Relevant portions of the two communiques follow:

I. CABINET COMMUNIQUE – 20th December, 1998
(Communicated by the Cabinet Secretariat)

At the weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday), 20th December, 1998:

….

4. The Cabinet held a political discussion on the Wye River Memorandum and passed the following resolution:

  1. Israel seeks peace with the Palestinians and the advancement of final status agreements with them. Israel is committed to the continuation of the peace process, subject to the principle of reciprocity. Israel will complete implementation of its commitments in the process when the Palestinian Authority fulfills its commitments.
  2. The Palestinian Authority must abandon its intention to unilaterally declare the establishment of a Palestinian state, as well as its intention to unilaterally declare Jerusalem the capital of the Palestinian state.
  3. The Palestinian Authority must halt the violence and the incitement to violence.
  4. Israel will not release murderers and prisoners with blood on their hands.
  5. The Palestinian Authority must collect and remove the illegal weapons held by the PA and by civilians, arrest the murderers in the area under its responsibility, maintain full cooperation with Israel in combating terrorism and honor the rest of its commitments according to the agreement.

II. CABINET COMMUNIQUE – 13th January, 1998
(Communicated by the Cabinet Secretariat)

At the Cabinet meeting today (Tuesday), 13th January, 1998:

  1. A document detailing the Palestinians’ commitments under the 15.1.97 Note for the Record was presented to the Cabinet.
  2. The Cabinet decided to adopt the document, in which it is pointed out that according to the principle of reciprocity, as determined in the aforementioned Note for the Record, the additional redeployment is conditional on the Palestinians’ implementation of their commitments.

Dr. Aaron Lerner,
Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
P.O.BOX 982 Kfar Sava
Tel: (+972-9) 760-4719
Fax: (+972-9) 741-1645
imra@netvision.net.il

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