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Washington, DC, April 15 - The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
(ADC) today expressed dismay at President George W. Bush's apparent
endorsement of the plan for "unilateral disengagement" presented by Israeli
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, aspects of which contradict the President's
own "roadmap" for peace.
ADC President Mary Rose Oakar said
that, "negotiations to determine the future of the Palestinian people cannot
be conducted between the United States and Israel alone. The Palestinians must
be full and equal parties to any deliberation that affects their fundamental
rights, such as final borders of a Palestinian state and the right of return
for refugees." Former Congresswoman Oakar added, "President Bush, citing what he described as 'realities on the ground,' appears to have abandoned decades of American policy and United Nations Security Council resolutions. The most important reality is that this conflict can only be resolved through
negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians that result in a complete and
final end to the occupation."
ADC pointed out that President Bush's statements in his joint press conference
with Prime Minister Sharon yesterday were not only at odds with traditional
U.S. policy, but were also inconsistent with the "roadmap" for peace outlined
in 2003 by President Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell. Phase 1
required that Israel "freezes all settlement activity (including natural
growth of settlements)." Phase 3 identified final status issues to be
determined by Israel and the Palestinians at an international conference
as "borders, Jerusalem, refugees, [and] settlements." President Bush's
comments appear to prejudice at least two of these issues, as he seems to have
endorsed Sharon's demands that Israel not be required to return to the borders
of June 4, 1967 as outlined in United Nations Security Council Resolution 242
and subsequent relevant decisions, and suggested that Israel is entitled to
retain areas that have been heavily settled. Moreover, by stating that
Palestinian refugees should be settled in a future Palestinian state "rather
than Israel," President Bush appears to have prejudiced another the extremely
important and sensitive issue for final status negotiations, the right of
return for refugees.
ADC urged the Administration to clarify its position by reiterating that all
parties are bound by their commitments under the roadmap, including the
requirement that Israel cease all settlement activities, and that all final
status issues, including the future of settlements and refugee rights, can
only be determined through negotiations which involve the full and equal
participation of the Palestinians.
