Letter from PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat to Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin:

May 4, 1994

Yitzhak Rabin
Prime Minister of Israel

Mr. Prime Minister,

With regard to the Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area, signed in Cairo on May 4, 1994 (hereinafter 'the Agreement'), the PLO hereby confirms the following:

1. The PLO undertakes to ensure that the Palestinian Authority, including the Palestinian Police and other Palestinian Authority agencies, will function in accordance with the Agreement, and that the Palestinian Authority will activate the coordination and cooperation mechanism in a timely manner.
    

2. The PLO undertakes to cooperate with Israel, and to assist it, in its efforts to locate and to return to Israel Israeli soldiers who are missing in action and the bodies of killed soldiers which have not been recovered.
    

3. The PLO undertakes to submit to the next meeting of the Palestinian National Council for formal approval the necessary changes in regard to the Palestinian Covenant, as undertaken in the letter dated September 9, 1993 signed by the Chairman of the PLO and addressed to the Prime Minister of Israel.
    

4. When Chairman Arafat enters the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area, he will use the title 'Chairman (Ra'ees in Arabic) of the Palestinian Authority' or 'Chairman of the PLO', and will not use the title 'President of Palestine.'
    

5. Neither side shall initiate or take any step that will change the status of the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area pending the outcome of the permanent status negotiations.
    

6. Pursuant to Article IV, paragraph 3, of the Agreement, the PLO shall inform the Government of Israel of the names of the members of the Palestinian Authority in a letter that shall be provided within a week of signing the Agreement. The appointment of these members to the Palestinian Authority shall take effect upon an exchange of letters between the PLO and the Government of Israel. Changes in the membership of the Palestinian Authority will take effect upon an exchange of letters between the PLO and the Government of Israel.
    

7. Immediately after the conclusion of the Agreement, early empowerment negotiations will commence pursuant to Article VI of the Declaration of Principles, and the two sides will explore possible expansion of the scope of these negotiations beyond the five spheres.
    

8. The two sides will intensify the negotiations on the interim arrangements consistant with the Declaration of Principles and guided by its target date.
    

9. The two sides reiterate their commitment to commence permanent status negotiations as soon as possible, but no later than the beginning of the third year of the interim period, as provided for in Article V of the Declaration of Principles.
    

10. As regards the relations between Israel and the PLO, and without derogating from the commitments contained in the letters dated September 9, 1993 signed by and exchanged between the Prime Minister of Israel and the Chairman of the PLO, the two sides will apply between them the provisions contained in Article XII, paragraph 1, with the necessary changes.
     

11. The two Parties shall, within one month of signing the Agreement, invite the Governments of Jordan and Egypt to establish the Continuing Committee referred to in Article XII of the Declaration of Principles and in Article XVI of the Agreement.
     

12. The Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority shall pass all necessary legislation to implement the Agreement.
     

13. The two Parties shall continue discussions on the following issues:

    • the size of the Jericho Area;

    • the positioning of a Palestinian official at the bridge;

    • additional arrangement in the Rafah passage; and

    • all outstanding issues specified in the Agreement.

Sincerely,

Yasser Arafat
Chairman The Palestinian Liberation Organization
 

© 2005 Palestinian American Council