Israeli Leftist party Chairperson, Zahava Gal-On, said on Sunday that holding negotiations with Hamas is possible if the movement declares a complete halt of attacks on Israel, recognizes the country and its security right.
Gal-On submitted a diplomatic plan which included withdrawal from the West Bank and placing the Palestinian territories under "international trusteeship".
According to this initiative, Israel will begin talks with the International community in order to supervise the withdrawal that will be under the auspices of both the United States and Britain.
The plan is part of the Beilin-Abed Rabbo Imitative which was presented on October 12, 2003; prominent Israeli and Palestinians, led by former Israeli Justice Minister Yossi Beilin (one of the key architects of the Oslo Accords) on the Israeli side, and senior negotiator and former Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo on the Palestinian side, revealed the existence of a draft final-status agreement they had been working on for the past two years.
The "Geneva Initiative" (or "Geneva Accord") is based on the Clinton Plan which was presented by President Bill Clinton after the Camp David summit in July, 2000 failed to produce an agreement.
While not presuming to be an official treaty, the draft agreement shows the way to a final agreement and indicates that a solution to the century-old conflict is possible.
Widely praised among the Israeli peace camp and the international community, the plan has drawn anger from Israeli right-wingers and some Palestinian groups.
The huge attention it has received has reinvigorated the Israeli and Palestinian peace camps.
Gal-On said that part of a provisional International trusteeship for a period of two years plan, includes sending International troops to the region to replace the Israeli army in an attempt to prevent any friction between the Palestinians and the Israeli army, and to develop a civil service network in the Palestinian territories that will provide social services to the residents in addition to the coordination with Israel.
After three years of International trusteeship, establishing a Palestinian state will be discussed.
Concerning the issue of disputed city of East Jerusalem, Gal-On said that the city will be under the Israeli control until the transitional period is over while its civil affairs, including the economic responsibility and tax will be under the International trusteeship for two years, after which reaching an agreement with the Palestinians will be examined.
Gal-On suggests that Israel should continue to control Jewish neighborhoods in Jerusalem, while Arabic sectors will be under Israel supremacy, while civil affairs will be controlled by international mandate.
