Terms of Treaty

Graphically different, the recent peace agreement states "autonomy" is not to occur on the West Bank area. Autonomy of peoples, not territory, clarifies Begin. This autonomy will occur after negotiations between unspecified parties, one assumes not the PLO. which are to last for only one year anyhow. Israel will not give up this territory as that would betray the Zionist ideal, nor will it specify the nature of it's continued military presence.

Also uncontrolled, is continued Jewish migration into the West Bank and Gaza. Conversely, there is no provision for return of Palestinian refugees to their homes. The status of Jerusalem doesn't even rank a mention. Such a deal therefore retains all the features of the status quo, only constipating it. It is no different in nature from the "self rule" formulas that the Israelis have been suggesting for years.

The solution is equivalent to a family being cast from a house and then being to told some of its members may live on the back porch, but only if they behave themselves and share it with the newcomers.

Such an agreement therefore goes a long way from Sadat's assertion in respect of the occupied territories that "Sovereignty is indivisible". Instead, the rhetoric is "swords into plough shares". The Palestinians, with only barren refugee camps to plough, would find little succour in such entreaties.

Don Carson