PA Minister Raziq: Agreement Does Not Waive Right of Return

Aaron Lerner Date: 13 October 2003

Israel Radio reported this morning that Palestinian Minister of Prisoners'
Affairs, Hisham Abdel Raziq stated that
the unsigned draft understanding the Israeli left has developed with the
Palestinians does not waive the Palestinian right of return of refugees to
within the Green Line.

Earlier in the morning PLC Member Qadura Fares, who participated in the
meetings that drafted the understanding repeatedly refused to say in a live
interview broadcast this morning on Israel Radio that the Palestinians had
agreed to forego the right
of return. He only would say that "we have a solution".

Raziq explained that the understanding does provide for the return of
refugees to within the Green Line but that it would be only one of the
options available to the refugees and their return would be with Israel's
agreement.

The beauty of the proposal from the standpoint of the Palestinians is that
it provides for a situation under which after Israel has already pulled back
to borders that cannot be defended pressure to facilitate the right of
return would be brought to unprecedented heights by asking each refugee to
declare his desire to return.

The failure of Israel to meet Palestinian demands could then be used to
excuse the return to violence so that the Palestinians can continue with the
program for the destruction of Israel in stages with the advantage that they
are a sovereign state fighting Israel from the Green Line.

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
pager 03-6106666 subscriber 4811
Website: http://www.imra.org.il