Israel to accept Mitchell report

By Kesava Menon

BAGHDAD, MAY 14. Israel will accept the Mitchell Committee's findings and observations, with two major reservations, its Cabinet was reported to have decided. Since the Palestinians had already indicated their endorsement of the report and since the U.S. and E.U. have also signalled their general approval, the Mitchell report could in theory form the basis for resumed negotiations. The qualification ``in theory'', however, remains important as the violence in the territories is twisting in dangerous new directions.

The five-member committee headed by the former U.S. Senator, Mr. George Mitchell, had recommended that Israel and the Palestinians end the violence between them, undertake confidence-building measures and after a cool down period, resume negotiations.

Substantially the same points are included in a Jordanian- Egyptian initiative which the E.U. and sections of the Israeli and U.S. decision-making apparatus have also viewed as useful. However, the Mitchell Committee in its investigations into the causes for the violence had noted that Israel's use of excessive force was one of the major factors in the continued spiral of violence. The committee had also recommended that Israel absolutely freeze all building activity in the Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

According to reports in the Israeli press their Government has expressed its reservations on the last two points. On the first point, they believe that the Israel Defence Forces have been acting with restraint. As regards the second point, there does appear to be some scope for flexibility in the Israeli approach.

The Foreign Minister, Mr. Shimon Peres, in earlier comments on the committee's recommendations had said that Israel would not annex any more Palestinian land for the settlements and that any construction to be undertaken would be inside the boundaries of existing settlements to take care of natural growth. A Haretz report of today suggests that there might be a little more flexibility in that the Cabinet might agree to a settlement freeze if there is an end to violence from the Palestinian side.

The U.S. administration will be partially getting back to its mediatory mode when it studies the Mitchell Committee report together with the comments appended by the Israelis and Palestinians. While the E.U. has taken the stance that the report should be taken as the basis for an urgent resumption of negotiations, the approach of the U.S. is not as yet clear.

On the Israeli side, there is the expectation that the U.S. administration, while endorsing the report, will leave it to the two principals to decide on its implementation. What would be of interest would be the stance the administration takes on the recommendation pertaining to a settlement freeze.

While there is some hope that the existence of an international body's position paper, as it were, could form the basis for renewed negotiations, this hope looks forlorn for the moment. Both sides appear caught up in the cycle of violence that it would be difficult for them to back off.

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Section  : International
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