Text of the Shimon Peres/Yasser Arafat Agreement

The following are statements issued by the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli Government following ceasefire discussions between former Israeli PM Shimon Peres and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat held yesterday.

TEXT OF THE ISRAELI UNDERSTANDING

During a meeting held on [Wednesday] in Gaza, an understanding was reached between Israel and the Palestinian Authority concerning a number of steps, on the basis of the understandings of Sharm el-Sheikh, which are supposed to bring about a renewal of the security cooperation and a cessation of the violence and incitement.

This understanding has brought about a freezing of the responsive measures that were discussed tonight [Wednesday] by the cabinet, for the purpose of utilising the chance to stop the violence.

Participating in the meeting on the Israeli side were minister Shimon Peres and bureau chief, advocate Gilead Sher. Prime Minister Barak thanked minister Peres and expressed his hope that this would bring an end to the violence.

TEXT OF THE PALESTINIAN UNDERSTANDING

An understanding was reached last night [Wednesday] between the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and the Israeli Government stipulating that the two sides shall do their best to implement the Sharm el-Sheikh understandings as stated in US President Bill Clinton's statement and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's speech.

The Palestinian leadership, which has always shown care in implementing mutual obligations, is closely monitoring the extent to which the Israeli side will implement its obligations.

'Peaceful intifada'

This includes the withdrawal of the occupation forces and their military units from all areas, cities and residential neighbourhoods that were occupied after 28 September, ending hostilities against our unarmed people and removing all forms of the siege.

The PNA insists on Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state

Moreover, the Palestinian leadership feels that the Israeli Government must curb and control the hordes of settlers who are constantly committing crimes against our people, because it is an essential factor in ending the aggression, violence and terrorism against our people.

The Palestinian leadership, which has always been keen on the peaceful and popular nature of the intifada, and which has exercised self-restraint over the past stage despite the continued attacks and violations, calls on our struggling masses and the national forces to observe the unity of their stands, continue their popular forms of expression and remain committed to peaceful means in all moves and forms of national action in affirmation of our people's determination to regain their legitimate national rights, secure the implementation of international legitimacy resolutions and reach a just and comprehensive peace.

Establishing the peace of the brave, which offers security, peace and justice to all peoples in the region, requires an affirmation of the practical commitment to international legitimacy resolutions.

This constitutes the peace process's point of reference and stipulates the implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions 242, 338 and 194, as well as a complete [Israeli] withdrawal to the 4 June 1967 lines, guaranteeing the Palestinian peoples' right of return and the establishment of their independent state with holy Jerusalem as its capital.

ENDS

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