Israeli press: Israel presented new map of West Bank during negotiations

Monday May 26, 2008 06:04

by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

In a report that is unsubstantiated by official sources, the Israeli newspaper, the Jerusalem Post, has reported that Israel has presented a map of the West Bank in which Israel will control 8.5 percent of the land (including the most fertile land and the water sources). This is while negotiations are still ongoing between the Fateh-led portion of the Palestinian Authority and Israeli authorities in Egypt.

Map of West Bank with Israeli Wall and settlements

According to the Jerusalem Post report, they received this information from Palestinian sources close to the negotiations. According to their sources, this new map presented by Israel is not acceptable to the Palestinian side, as the Palestinians want Israel to withdraw to the 1967 borders, as they are compelled to do under international law and numerous UN resolutions. According to the Israeli press report, the Palestinian negotiators are willing to concede 1.8 % of the West Bank to Israel, but no more than that.

Since Israel has continually expanded, and never declared the borders of its state, over 500,000 Israelis now live on illegally-seized land in the West Band and East Jerusalem. Most of them have moved there since 1990. The most contentious part of the Israeli expansion has been the takeover of East Jerusalem, which both Israel and Palestine claim as their capital. East Jerusalem has historically been made up of Palestinians, but since 1990, many of these Palestinian have been forced from their land, their houses demolished, and 250,000 Israelis have moved in to the area, in hundreds of new housing developments and high-rises.

It is unclear at this point how much of East Jerusalem is being claimed by Israel in their new map, but it is likely that the map includes most of East Jerusalem. Since 1996, Israeli authorities have had a public plan to take over east Jerusalem, kick out the Palestinians, and make it officially part of Israel.

Israel has also constructed a Wall through the West bank, thus claiming more land for Israel.