Mideast Peace Talks Confront Core Issues

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Core Issue

Israel

Palestinian Authority

Barriers to Trust

In their own words

Final Borders

Israel accepts a Palestinian state and is willing to trade land conquered in 1967 for peace.

U.N. Resolution 242 guarantees defensible borders for Israel and does not require the Jewish state to withdraw from all disputed territory.

Palestinians insist on a state with contiguous borders.

U.N. Resolution 242 calls for Israeli withdrawal from all territory conquered in 1967.

Since 1993, more than 1,200 Israelis have died in terrorist attacks originating from Palestinian controlled territory. Recently, Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza has been answered with continuous missile barrages.

Palestinians resent Israeli military checkpoints, which cause public humiliation and economic hardship.

"We demand the end to terror, incitement and hatred. We are prepared to make a painful compromise, rife with risks, in order to realize these aspirations." (Ehud Olmert)

"We have 6,025 sq. kilometers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. We want it as is." (Mahmoud Abbas)

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Land conquered by Israel in the Six Day War of 1967

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U.N. Resolution 242

From The Jewish Virtual Library:
On November 22, 1967, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 242, establishing the principles that were to guide the negotiations for an Arab-Israeli peace settlement..The ultimate goal of 242, as expressed in paragraph 3, is the achievement of a "peaceful and accepted settlement." This means a negotiated agreement based on the resolution's principles rather than one imposed upon the parties.

The principal condition is that Israel withdraw from "territories occupied" in 1967, which means that Israel must withdraw from some, all, or none of the territories still occupied. Since Israel withdrew from 91% of the territories when it gave up the Sinai, it has already partially, if not wholly, fulfilled its obligation under 242.

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Ehud Olmert

From The Jewish Virtual Library:
Following Ariel Sharon's decision to leave the Likud Party in November 2005, Olmert joined with Sharon and several other former Likud ministers to form the new centrist party, Kadima. On January 4, 2006, Sharon suffered a massive stroke that left him unable to perform his dutires as prime minister. On January 5, Olmert was given acting prime ministerial duties to keep the government running effectively in Sharon's absence…Olmert remained acting Prime Minister until the Israeli elections, which took place on March 28, 2006. Following elections… Ehud Olmert became Prime Minister of the 31st Government of Israel.

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Mahmoud Abbas

Mahmoud Abbas (also known as Abu Mazen) was part of Yasser Arafat's trusted inner circle and served in many leadership roles within Fatah, Arafat's powerful faction. Abbas was an architect of the Oslo Accords. He became President of the Palestinian Authority in January 2005, following Arafat's death.

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