Palestinians and Middle East Peace: Issues for the United States Page: 4 of 18
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IB92052
MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
Mahmud Abbas won 62.3% of the vote in the January 9, 2005 presidential election,
defeating six other candidates in the contest to succeed Yasir Arafat, who died on November
11, 2004. Seventy percent of the 1.1 million registered voters turned out in an election called
fair by most of the foreign observers.
Palestinians voted for municipal councils in 26 West Bank towns on December 23,
2004. Some 1,000 candidates are ran for the 300 positions. Similar Gaza elections were
delayed by the continuing violence. The remaining 600 West Bank towns are scheduled to
hold elections in the summer of 2005.
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
Current Negotiations Between Israel and the Palestinians
The Road Map. According to the "road map" for the "quartet" peace proposal
(Europe, Russia, U.N., U.S.A.), presented on April 30, 2003,1 the Israelis and Palestinians
must take steps to implement the plan, but it was not clear if the steps were to be sequential
(the Israeli view) or in parallel (the Palestinian view). During stage one of phase one, the
Israelis were to end attacks on Palestinian cities, house demolitions, and deportations; to
freeze settlement activity; and to dismantle settlements established since February 2001. The
Palestinians were to name a new cabinet and Prime Minister(sworn in April 30, 2003), end
violence against Israelis, and consolidate the Palestinian police forces. During stage two of
phase one, Israelis were to withdraw to the September 28, 2000 lines and freeze all
settlement activity. The Palestinians and the Israelis were to sign a new security agreement.
The Palestinians will hold elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council.
During phase two, the quartet was to establish a monitoring system to monitor
compliance with the agreement and was to hold an international conference on Palestinian
economic recovery. The quartet also will sponsor negotiations for a Palestinian state within
provisional borders. During phase three, scheduled to begin in 2004, Israel and the
Palestinians were to agree on a provisional Palestinian state and, by the beginning of 2005,
were to resume negotiations for permanent borders, Jerusalem, refugees, settlements, andother issues.
Current Status. After their April 14 White House meeting, President Bush endorsed
Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's positions on the unilateral Israeli plan to withdraw from
Gaza, on Israel retaining sovereignty over Israeli settlements in the West Bank, on the Israeli
wall separating Israel from Palestinian areas, and that no Palestinian refugees should be
resettled in Israel. Palestinians rejected the U.S. endorsement and the Israeli plans. The
1 See "A Performance-Based Roadmap to a Permanent Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian
Conflict," published by the U.S. Department of State, [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2003/
20062.htm].CRS-1
01-10-05
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Mark, Clyde R. Palestinians and Middle East Peace: Issues for the United States, report, January 10, 2005; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metacrs6178/m1/4/: accessed May 3, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.