New Middle East peace plan on table

New proposals to end years of bloodshed in the Middle East have been drawn up.

The plan, created during secret meetings between Israeli opposition politicians, intellectuals and Palestinian politicians, would see Israel hand over virtually all of the West Bank and Gaza Strip in exchange for peace with Palestinians.

But the plan has already been criticised by a string of senior Israeli politicians.

The plan, known as the Geneva Accord, was finalised in secret meetings in Jordan in recent weeks. Former Israeli foreign minister Yossi Beilin and former Palestinian cabinet member Yasser Abed-Rabbo were among the chief negotiators.

The politicians began clandestine meetings amid widespread belief that the US-backed Road Map peace plan, unveiled in June this year, has collapsed under a wave of violence. Under the terms of the plan the Palestinians would cease their armed insurgency and formally recognise Israel's right to exist, in return for a string of territorial concessions by Israel.

Israel would also pull out of Palestinian areas of East Jerusalem and cede sovereignty over the controversial Temple Mount area in the heart of the Old City. Jewish neighbourhoods in East Jerusalem and some sprawling suburban settlements built inside the West Bank will

remain under Israeli rule.

But a string of settlements deep inside the West Bank, including Ariel, home to almost 20,000 Jewish settlers, will have to be abandoned by Israel.

In return, the Palestinians will agree to disarm all militias and militant groups. The borders of their new state will be patrolled by an international force and the state will be demilitarised.

The claim by Palestinian refugees outside Israel for a return to their former homelands was effectively ruled out by the accord, which said any return would have to be agreed by Israel.

Virtually all Israeli politicians reject the accord outright.

Promoting the plan in Egypt yesterday, Mr Abed-Rabbo confirmed that Yasser Arafat had given his blessing to the negotiations. He said: "The new plan fills gaps left by the Road Map plan, which talks about a Palestinian state in 2005."

Israeli president Moshe Katsav said: "I do not rule out contacts with Palestinians. But it is important not to push the government of Israel into a corner."