Free Republic

The European Union on Monday pledged "unprecedented" levels of support to both Israel and the Palestinian Authority in the event that the two parties reach a final status agreement which would include the establishment of a Palestinian Arab state in Judea and Samaria, along with the ethnic-cleansing of at least 100,000 Jews in communities throughout the region. Commending US Secretary of State John Kerry for his efforts in launching direct talks between the two, EU foreign ministers said the 28-nation bloc would "contribute substantially" to post-conflict arrangements to ensure the sustainability of a peace deal. "The EU will provide an...

PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas says he will hold a general referendum among his population over any final status agreement that might be reached with Israel before signing the dotted line. According to a report broadcast on the Hebrew-language Voice of Israel radio, Abbas said Monday that any agreement reached with Israel would be put to a vote before the Ramallah government would make any final deal with Israel. The announcement came after a similar one on Sunday by Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in which he said he will propose a law requiring a referendum on any agreement before he...

Jan. 19, 2005 0:31 | Updated Jan. 19, 2005 18:10 Poll: Most Palestinians, Israelis back Clinton plan By LAMIA LAHOUDFor the first time, a majority of Palestinians and Israelis support a final-status settlement based on former US president Bill Clinton's plan, acceding to a survey by the Palestinian Center for Survey Research in Ramallah and the Truman Foundation. Clinton proposed a Palestinian state on most of the land captured in 1967, giving up the right of return and dividing Jerusalem along demographic lines. Sixty three percent of Palestinians support an Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip,...