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Palestine Papers

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Part of a series on
the Israeli–Palestinian conflict
Israeli–Palestinian
peace process
History
Camp David Accords1978
Madrid Conference1991
Oslo Accords1993 / 95
Hebron Protocol1997
Wye River Memorandum1998
Sharm El Sheikh Memorandum1999
Camp David Summit2000
The Clinton Parameters2000
Taba Summit2001
Road Map2003
Agreement on Movement and Access2005
Annapolis Conference2007
Mitchell-led talks2010–11
Kerry-led talks2013–14
Primary concerns
Secondary concerns
International brokers
Proposals
Projects / groups / NGOs

The Palestine Papers is a collection of confidential documents about the Israeli–Palestinian peace process leaked by Al Jazeera between 23 and 26 January 2011. Nearly 1,700 of documents from the office of the main PLO negotiator, Sa’eb Erekat, and his team have been published, dating from 1999 to 2010.[1][2][3]

Al Jazeera and The Guardian say they have authenticated the documents, and a media adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert also affirmed their authenticity. Leaders of the Palestinian Authority have complained about the way the documents were presented by al-Jazeera.

Kind of the documents

The Palestine Papers include many minutes of bilateral meetings between Israel and the Palestinians and with the USA as well as minutes of joint trilateral meetings. They also include other documents, such as memos, emails, letters, strategy papers, a matrix of positions[4] and even maps of possible land swaps[5] and power point presentations[6][7]

There were published 1,684 total documents, including:

  • 275 sets of meeting minutes;
  • 690 internal emails;
  • 153 reports and studies;
  • 134 sets of talking points and prep notes for meetings;
  • 64 draft agreements;
  • 54 maps, charts and graphs;
  • and 51 “non-papers.”

Akiva Eldar, writing in Haaretz, said that the documents are more important than those released by Wikileaks because they deal with current issues regarding permanent borders in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.[8]

The documents

Settlements

At a meeting in November 2007, Tzipi Livni told Ahmed Qurei that "I understand the sentiments of the Palestinians when they see the settlements being built. The meaning from the Palestinian perspective is that Israel takes more land, that the Palestinian state will be impossible, the Israel policy is to take more and more land day after day and that at the end of the day we'll say that it is impossible, we already have the land and cannot create the state".[9] She indicated that the position was not the policy of her current coalition but of other parties.[citation needed] The Palestinian negotiators protested the idea that the settlement activity had been halted as well as pointed out that the issue of settlements also included settlement expansion and activity from the private sector. Tzipi Livni responded to that by stating "When the government has [issued] the tender in the past it means that the private sector won the tender and then it has the rights on the land. They are entitled to work on the land that they purchased".[citation needed]

According to the documents, in a meeting with Livni in Jerusalem, Qurei proposed that Israel annex all settlements along the border except for the large cities and towns of Giv'at Ze'ev, Ma'ale Adumim, Ariel, and Efrat.[10] Livni rejected Qurei's demands that Israel cede these settlements. Qurei suggested to Livni that these settlements be placed under Palestinian sovereignty, but Livni told him "you know this is not realistic". Condoleezza Rice similarly told Qurei that "I don't think that any Israeli leader is going to cede Ma'ale Adumim", to which Qurei replied "or any Palestinian". Rice then told him "Then you won't have a state!"[11]

Napkin map

"Napkin map" is a colloquial name for a Palestinian sketch made by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on a napkin, of a map with land swap proposals shown to him by then Prime Minister Ehud Olmert during peace negotiations in mid-2008. According to Al Jazeera, Abbas was not allowed to keep the unofficial map, so he sketched it by hand. During the first of several meetings, the Palestinian Authority proposed a land swap, offering Israel the opportunity to annex all of the Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem in return for land concessions by Israel. Olmert, however, offered no concessions in return but an even more aggressive land swap.[12]

In Prime Minister Olmert's own proposal, Israel would annex more than 10% of the West Bank. The land in Olmert's map included the four settlements of Gush Etzion (with Efrat), Ma'ale Adumim, Giv'at Ze'ev, and Ariel, in addition to all settlements in East Jerusalem (Har Homa). In exchange for those concessions by the Palestinian Authority, Olmert offered 5.5% of Israeli land as part of the swap. The land offered consisted of lightly populated farmland, which would be divided between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. When Mahmoud Abbas asked to keep a copy of the map for further consideration, Ehud Olmert refused to comply. Mahmoud Abbas was forced to sketch Ehud Olmert's map by hand on a napkin to have a copy for further consideration.[13] This map was then later referred to as the Napkin map.[12]

The third and final meeting occurred on September 16, 2008. It was during this time that Ehud Olmert was nearing the end of his political career. At the time, Olmert was under police investigation for alleged corruption that had occurred while he was Mayor of Jerusalem, and as a result of the accusations was not planning on running again. During the final meeting, Mahmoud Abbas was prepared by the Negotiation Support Unit (NSU) to clarify many questions regarding Ehud Olmert's peace plan in which Abbas was quoted as asking questions such as "How do you see it addressing our interests, especially as Ariel, Maale Adumim, Givat Zeev, Har Homa and Efrat clearly prejudice contiguity, water aquifers, and the viability of Palestine?" as well as others about the value of the land that they would receive in such a swap in terms of value and size.[12]

The Negotiation Support Unit (NSU) also insisted that Prime Minister Olmert provide them with a copy of the map, which was again denied. In the end, however, Mahmoud Abbas asked for a few days to consider the offer. A day after this meeting, Olmert resigned and Tzipi Livni stepped in as Acting Prime Minister, with Benjamin Netanyahu being elected shortly afterward. Palestinian negotiators said Abbas had forgotten another appointment and postponed the next meeting. Netanyahu thought Olmert had made too many concessions and refused to continue from where the last round of negotiations had left off, preferring to restart the negotiations from the beginning.[14]

Jerusalem

According to one of the documents, the Palestinian Authority was prepared to concede most Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem, as well as the Armenian Quarter, with the exception of Har Homa. The Temple Mount would be temporarily administrated by a joint body consisting of the Palestinian Authority, Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United States until a permanent solution was reached.[11]

At the meeting in Jerusalem in November 2007, Tzipi Livni became visibly angry when asked about the demographic composition of the future Israeli state. She was quoted as saying "Israel the state of the Jewish people -- and I would like to emphasize the meaning of “its people” is the Jewish people—with Jerusalem the united and undivided capital of Israel and of the Jewish people for 3007 years". The Palestinians team then protested her position on Jerusalem. She responded by saying "Now I have to say, before we continue, in order to continue we have to put out Jerusalem from your statement and from our place. We have enough differences, without putting another one out there". Making the discussion of the borders of Jerusalem a non-starter on the subject of borders.[15]

Security

The minutes of the trilateral meeting on 26 August 2008 reveal that Israel not only demands a demilitarized Palestinian state, but also wants to keep control over borders, Jordan Valley and airspace, after withdrawal of the Israeli occupation forces from the West Bank, under the pretext of security. Tzipi Livni: "In the Jordan Valley – what will be between Palestine and Jordan. EWS. [Early Warning Stations] ... the I is that we will have something on the crossings, borders, etc ... The idea is to withdraw, but to keep a presence, not close to the situation today, on the EWS, on passages..."[16]

Refugees

Yankie Galenty, a media adviser for Ehud Olmert, affirmed the complete authenticity of the documents in an interview. In regards to refugees, he stated that "Olmert, from day one, did not deceive Abu Mazen and told him that Israel will not allow the return of refugees and not one refugee will return to the land of Israel."[17]

Other officials in the Israeli government asked for a limited right of return numbering between five to ten thousand, out of a total of five million refugees, who would be carefully picked by Israel and allowed to stay under "humanitarian conditions". This has been a part of several concessions asked by both sides to, in essence, circumvent and nullify the Palestinian right of return.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice proposed settling Palestinians refugees in Argentina and Chile as an alternative to letting them return to former homes in Israel and the occupied territories during a meeting.[18]

In her memoirs, Condoleezza Rice wrote that Olmert initially proposed that Israel accept 5,000 Palestinians refugees. Abbas rejected the offer, saying that "I can't tell four million Palestinians that only 5,000 of them can go home".[19] According to the second night of the Al-Jazeera broadcast, Israelis and Palestinians eventually agreed that Israel would accept 10,000 refugees.[20]

According to the papers, when the Israelis demanded that the Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish state, Saeb Erekat said "call it what you want... it's their issue, not mine".

Source of the Papers

The documents were obtained by Al-Jazeera and shared in advance of publication with The Guardian in an effort to ensure the wider availability of their content. The Guardian has authenticated the bulk of the Papers independently, but has not sought or been given access to the sources of the documents. Al Jazeera, which is publishing the Papers on their website, has redacted minimal parts of the papers in order to protect their sources' identities.[21]

Gershon Baskin, codirector of Israel Palestinian Center for Research, said "I'm 100 percent sure that it’s a former disgruntled employed" member of the Negotiations Support Unit headed by Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat. Israel's Channel 10 news show also named the source of the leak as a former member of the NSU.[22] In 2011, Ziyad Clot, a lawyer of Palestinian descent, involved in 2008 Annapolis negotiations exposed himself as one of the sources of the leaks.[23][24]

On January 27, 2011, following Al Jazeera’s broadcast of the Palestine Papers, the Chief PLO Negotiator, Dr. Saeb Erekat, appeared on Al Jazeera Arabic, claiming “for your information, and for the Arab citizens, what we understand is that the person who has tried to attack us is a Mr. Clayton Swisher, he is a member of the CIA who works for the foreign security, he is also an employee of Al Jazeera…we know Clayton Swisher had a closed meeting with Mr. Wadah Khanfar to plant all this fake information. Tonight, I have contacted the U.S. State Department and formally requested an investigation into this former CIA member.”[23] Erekat later reversed his accusations against Swisher, and acknowledged the leaked documents were genuine.[25] Dr. Erekat resigned from his role as Chief PLO Negotiator on February 11, 2011 based on an internal Palestinian investigation that suggested the Palestine Papers leak reached Swisher from a source inside Dr. Erekat’s office. In a book later published by Swisher, "The Palestine Papers: The End of the Road?", Swisher confirmed account, as he wrote "In the fall of 2010, I traveled the world meeting with US, Israeli, and Palestinian Authority officials who had no idea that I held in my possession the secret records of their negotiations." In a May 14, 2011 op-ed piece in the Guardian’s Comment is Free section, Ziyad Clot, a former negotiator with the NSU, stated, "In full conscience, and acting independently, I later agreed to share some information with al-Jazeera specifically with regard to the fate of Palestinian refugee rights in the 2008 talks. Other sources did the same, although I am unaware of their identity."[23] A complaint filed by Dr. Erekat and the PLO against Al Jazeera and Clayton Swisher on grounds of unfairness was wholly dismissed in a 19-page ruling released in October 2011.[26][27]

NSU

Most of the documents are from the Palestinian negotiation support unit (NSU). The NSU was the PLO's main technical and legal advice organ for the Palestinian side in the peace negotiations, set up in 1999 and headed by Saeb Erekat.[3] Few weeks after publication of the Papers, Erekat resigned from his post, when it became clear that the source of the leak was in his own office.[28] July 2013, however, he was still holding the function of Chief Palestinian Negotiator.[29]

Reactions

Palestinian Authority

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the leaked documents deliberately confuse Israeli and Palestinian positions, and that he had kept the Arab League updated on all details of the negotiations with Israel.[30] Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the leaks were "a pack of lies", containing mistakes and inaccuracies and that his words were taken out of context and he had been misquoted.[30][31] He resigned from his position on 12 February citing the release of the papers. Under pressure from the papers, the PLO called for a presidential and parliamentary elections in the second-half of 2011.[32] Erekat said that the "Palestinian Authority would never give up any of our rights. If we did indeed offer Israel the Jewish and Armenian Quarters of Jerusalem, and the biggest Yerushalayim as they claim, then why did Israel not sign a final status agreement? Is it not strange that we would offer all these concessions which Israel demands, yet there is still no peace deal?"[33]

Yasser Abed Rabbo, giving the PA's first official response, accused Al Jazeera and the Government of Qatar of attacking the Palestinian Authority, having a hostile attitude towards the PA since the days of former president Yasser Arafat.[34] Abed Rabbo was quoted saying that the Al-Jazera leaks are "a distortion of the truth".[35] Abed Rabbo accused the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, of giving Al Jazeera the "green light" to start the campaign, and called on the Emir to "extend the climate of transparency in his own state and reveal his true relations with Israel and Iran".[36]

Mahmoud al-Zahar, a senior Hamas official in Gaza, stated that the Palestinian Authority officials should be ashamed of themselves.[30]

Ahmed Qurei, former Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority and chief Palestinian negotiator in the 2008 talks, said that "many parts of the documents were fabricated, as part of the incitement against the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian leadership."[30]

Nasser Gawi, a lead organizer for demonstrations in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, where he had been recently evicted by Israeli settlers from his home, was quoted as saying "Erekat must have become more Zionist than Zionist. He has no mandate to give up Sheikh Jarrah or an inch of Palestine."[37]

Israel

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that "even the most left-wing government of Olmert and Livni did not manage to reach a peace agreement, despite the many concessions." He also promoted his plan for peace, which would allocate 45% to 50% of the West Bank for the creation of a Palestinian state.[38]

Livni said that "the [peace] process did not fail and was not exhausted. It did not end, but was not allowed to ripen until an agreement was reached because of elections in Israel and this government's choice not to continue the negotiations."[39]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Introducing The Palestine Papers". Al Jazeera English. 23 January 2011. Retrieved 23 January 2011.
  2. ^ "FAQ: The Palestine Papers". Al Jazeera English. 23 January 2011. Retrieved 23 January 2011.
  3. ^ a b Guardian, 24 January 2011, The story behind the Palestine papers
  4. ^ Current P/I positions reflecting discussion up to June 30, 2008
  5. ^ Meeting Minutes On Borders, 4 May 2008. On [1]; Summary of Olmert’s “Package” Offer to Abu Mazen, 31 August 2008. On [2]
  6. ^ Water for a Viable Palestinian State, 17 May 2008. On [3]
  7. ^ Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: Challenges to a Negotiated Solution, 1 February 2009. On [4]
  8. ^ Akiva Eldar, The Palestine papers: Al-Jazeera trumps WikiLeaks, Haaretz, January 24, 2011.
  9. ^ "Corrections and clarifications". The Guardian. London. 12 February 2011.
  10. ^ Patrick Martin, The Globe and Mail, 23 August 2012, Israel rejected historic concessions, 'Palestine Papers' reveal
  11. ^ a b Al Jazeera − Palestine Papers, 23 January 2011, "The biggest Yerushalayim"
  12. ^ a b c Al Jazeera - Palestine Papers, The "napkin map" revealed The maps: [5]
  13. ^ Al Jazeera - Palestine Papers, Summary of Ehud Olmert’s “Package” Offer to Mahmoud Abbas - August 31, 2008
  14. ^ Goodspeed, Peter (30 January 2011). "Goodspeed Analysis: A Palestine that might have been". National Post. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  15. ^ "The Palestine Papers: Meeting Minutes: 8th Negotiation Team Meeting". Al Jazeera Transparency Unit. Al Jazeera Media Network. 13. Retrieved 19 June 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  16. ^ Al Jazeera - Palestine Papers, Meeting Summary, 26 August 2008, second part, pp. 18-19; on [6]
  17. ^ Olmert adviser says Al-Jazeera leaks 100% correct, Ahram Online, 24 January 2011
  18. ^ Carroll, Rory (24 January 2011). "Condoleezza Rice: send Palestinian refugees to South America". The Guardian. London.
  19. ^ Stoil, Rebecca Anna (11 January 2011). "Rice reveals concessions in 2008 peace talks". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  20. ^ Black, Ian; Milne, Seumas (24 January 2011). "Papers reveal how Palestinian leaders gave up fight over refugees". The Guardian. London.
  21. ^ "Palestine papers: Editor's note". The Guardian. London. 23 January 2011. Retrieved 23 January 2011.
  22. ^ "Possible source of Palestine papers leak". The Christian Science Monitor. 25 January 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  23. ^ a b c Why I blew the whistle about Palestine, The Guardian, 14.05.11
  24. ^ French lawyer reveals himself as 'Palestine papers' source, Haaretz, 14.05.11
  25. ^ "Palestinian negotiator backtracks on CIA charge". Ma'an News Agency. 2 April 2011. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  26. ^ "Ofcom Broadcast Bulletin" (PDF). Ofcom. 10 October 2011. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  27. ^ "Ofcom's ruling on the Palestine papers offers hope to the Middle East". The Guardian. 10 October 2011. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  28. ^ Al Jazeera, 13 February 2011, Erekat quits over Palestine Papers
  29. ^ PLO Negotiations Affairs Department, 28 July 2013, Press Release−Dr. Erekat: “We will continue working for the release of all our political prisoners.”
  30. ^ a b c d "PA negotiators reject leaked report". Al Jazeera English. 24 January 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  31. ^ "Palestinians question 'offers' leaked by al-Jazeera". BBC. 24 January 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  32. ^ Nasser Abu Bakr (12). "Palestinian election plan runs into Hamas obstacle". AFP. AFP. Retrieved 19 June 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  33. ^ "Palestinians attack al-Jazeera 'distorted' talks leaks". BBC News. 24 January 2011.
  34. ^ PA hits back at Qatar’s Amir, Ahram online, 24 January 2011
  35. ^ Black, Ian; Milne, Seumas; Sherwood, Harriet (24 January 2011). "Palestine papers are distortion of truth, say Palestinian officials". The Guardian. London.
  36. ^ Yehonathan Tommer (25). "Mahmoud Abbas: Palestine Papers "fraudulent disinformation campaign"". VANCOUVERITE. VANCOUVERITE. Retrieved 19 June 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  37. ^ Nir Hasson (25). "Palestinian map of dividing Jerusalem 'out of touch with reality', says cartographer". Haaretz. Haaretz Daily Newspaper Ltd. Retrieved 19 June 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  38. ^ Lieberman: Leaked Palestinian papers prove interim deal is only option, Haaretz, 24 January 2011
  39. ^ "Livni: 'Palestine Papers' show peace process is not over". JPost. Jerusaem Post. 24. Retrieved 19 June 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
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