Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2002 6:44 PM
Subject: Generous offer!
March 14, 2002
The Editor.
Guardian Weekly
Dear Editor:
It amazes me how some correspondents, like Dr Ottolenghi
{"Why Sharon is Israel's leader" March 7} continue to be surprised why Arafat
and the Palestinians refused Barak's so-called "best offer" and "generous
offer", at Clinton's Camp David gathering.
The offer made constituted giving the Palestinian a
'state' composed of multiple non-contiguous 'bantustans', with external borders
under Israeli control, with large components of settlements, particularly around
Jerusalem and elsewhwere, retained by Israel, and minimal withdrawal from East
Jerusalem, and dismissal of the refugees right of return. What many do not
realise is that Israel annexed large parts of the West Bank to Jerusalem,
illegally.
Surely, it should be a fundamental requirement to obtain
complete Israeli withdrawal from all illegally
occupied territories, in compliance with international law and repeated Security
Council resolutions. This illegal occupation has already been allowed to stand
for 35 years. The West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza strip
constitute only 22% of Palestine. There is no generosity in returning illegally
occupied land to its legitimate owners.
Israel must not be allowed to remain above international
law.
Yours sincerely
Ismail Zayid, M.D.