1 - Settlements Under Oslo
2 - Background
3 - The Israeli Position
4 - The Palestinian Position
5 - During the Interim Period
6 - Proposals
6 - Proposals
There is great speculation as to what will be the future of Israeli settlements in the
West Bank, Gaza Strip and the Golan Heights. During the years prior to the signing of the
Oslo Declaration of Principles (DOP), a number of different plans, including the
previously mentioned Allon Plan, were drawn up by various Israelis in hopes of resolving
the issue on the basis of territorial compromise. Two other well-known proposals are the
Sharon Plan and the Double Column Plan:
Sharon Plan (1992): This plan, proposed by MK Ariel Sharon,
would have Israel annex approximately 50 percent of the territories, while in the
remaining areas (mostly Palestinian population centers) 11 "cantons" of
Palestinian autonomy would be created -- seven in the West Bank and four in Gaza.
Double Column Plan (1991): This plan, developed by architect
Avraham Wachman, is a modification of the Allon Plan. According to Wachman, Israel would
annex the Jordan Valley and the northern Dead Sea area, while the Jordan River would
remain Israel's security border to the east. Israel would also annex the Judean Desert and
the eastern slopes of Samaria to create a western and an eastern column. In order for this
plan to succeed, Israel would settle half a million Jews in the eastern column, while the
rest of the territories would be handed over to the Palestinians. Wachman explained that
Jews remaining in these areas would have the right to resident status in the Palestinian
entity and also to Israeli citizenship, while Palestinians annexed into Israel would have
the right to resident status in Israel and Palestinian citizenship.
Since the signing of the DOP, there have been a number of new proposals on settlements
intended to serve as guidelines for Israeli negotiators at future final status discussions
with the Palestinians.
The Moderate Territorial Compromise (1994): Under this plan
proposed by Joseph Alpher, then director of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel
Aviv University, Israel would annex 11 percent of the West Bank, but in so doing, would
incorporate 70 percent of all the settlers. According to the plan, Israel would annex the
parts of Western Samaria heavily populated with Israelis and, as a result, would move its
border eastward, between five and eight kilometers. According to Alpher, "All
remaining territory in the West Bank and Gaza Strip would be turned over to the
Palestinian entity. Settlers wishing to remain would be subject to Palestinian
authority."
Beilin-Eitan Agreement (1997): This comprehensive plan is
intended to serve as a guide for Israeli negotiators in future talks with the Palestinians
on key principles regarding West Bank territorial compromise.The agreement has nine
different sections dealing with a wide array of issues. According to the plan the majority
of settlers would live on their settlement under Israeli sovereignty, in order to preserve
territorial continuity between the settlements and the State of Israel. The residents of
the Israeli settlements, existing outside the area to be annexed by the State of Israel,
would receive special, agreed-upon, status under which their Israeli citizenship and their
ties with the State of Israel, as individuals and as a community, would be preserved. Thus
their right of free and safe passage to the territories, under full Israeli sovereignty,
would also be preserved.
Allon Plus Plan (1997): This plan has been called an enlarged
version of the original 1967 Allon Plan. The new plan differs by creating blocks of
territory, or "enclaves," in the West Bank, mainly concentrated around
Palestinian population centers where there would be a restricted entity of Palestinian
autonomy. These Palestinian enclaves would comprise approximately 40 percent of the West
Bank.
The remaining areas, largely comprised of blocks of Israeli settlements built since
1967, would remain under Israeli control. This would also enlarge the pre-1967 corridor
around Jerusalem, by retaining all of the city's satellite communities within Israeli
sovereignty. In addition, Israel would retain the Jordan Valley, large blocks of
settlements in the West Bank and Gaza, the network of essential Israeli-constructed bypass
roads around Arab towns and all the regional water sources.
[ NEXT: Back to Page 1 ]
