We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land by Jimmy Carter

'The Camp David agreement remains the foundation of our policy.The United States will not support the use of any additional land for the purpose of settlements during the transition period. There were just a few hundred settlers in the West Bank and Gaza when I became president, and all my predecessors had categorized each settlement as both illegal and an obstacle to peace.Īfter I left office, the Likud government expanded its settlement activity, precipitating a strong statement by President Reagan in September 1982. These exact words were accepted and reemphasized by Israel at Camp David in 1978 and Oslo in 1993, but permanent settlements have been considered by some as 'creating facts on the ground,' clearly designed to preclude withdrawal from the occupied territories. 'The inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war and the need to work for a just and lasting peace in which every state in the area can live in security, and the withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict and the termination of all claims or states of belligerency and respect for and acknowledgment of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of every state in the area and their right to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force.' Resolution 242 is binding on Israel as a foreign power that is occupying Palestine territory. has consistently stated, since 1967, that U.N.

Bush, our policy has been that Israel's borders coincide with those of 1949.

From Dwight Eisenhower through the road map of George W. Let me first review the official position of the United States. Palestinians must live in peace and dignity, and permanent Israeli settlements on their land are a major obstacle to this goal.The killing of innocent people by suicide bombs or other acts of violence cannot be condoned and.Israel's right to exist - and to live in peace - must be recognized and accepted by Palestinians and all other neighbors.The three most basic premises are quite clear: I don't intend to run again for public office and can always rely on Secret Service protection! I know how politically sensitive some of the issues are, but I'll be as accurate and frank as possible. My comments will focus on some aspects that are not usually discussed freely. This afternoon I will review what has brought us to the present situation, the obstacles before us, and some things that must be done to bring peace and justice to the region.

We all share a dream of peace in the Middle East. The Major Obstacles to Peace in the Holy Land

We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land by Jimmy Carter