December 3,1998

Dear Danny:

Pursuant to our phone conversation of December 2,1998, and to our Jericho meeting of November 29,1998, I would like to officially indicate that the Palestinian Authority considers the Israeli position of December 2,1998 as a direct violation of the Wye River Memorandum, which must be implemented by both sides as signed without any attempt to alter or change any of its provisions.

In this regard, I would like to reiterate that:

1. The release of Palestinian prisoners must be carried out in accordance with Annex 7, Interim Agreements. This Annex specifies the categories of Palestinian prisoners and detainees that should be released.
2. Once again we urge the Israeli Government to refrain from any unilateral steps that may prejudge or prejudice the issues of the Permanent Status Negotiations, i.e.: settlement activities, confiscation of land, bypass roads, demolition of homes.
3. We consider the Israeli Government announced that third phase of the further redeployments will be 1% to be not only a flagrant violation of all Agreements signed, but also a form of dictation that is not acceptable.
4. We urge the Israeli Government to exert maximum efforts in order to reach a permanent status agreement no later that May 4, 1999.

We believe that by this date Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338 must be fully implemented.

The Israeli Government must look forward and not backward, and instead of expanding settlements, it should ready the Israeli people for the full implementation of the principle of land for peace as applied to all occupied Palestinian territory as a result of the June 1967 war.

The Palestinian side will honour article “V” of the Wye River Memorandum, hoping that the Israeli Government will do the same.

We will honour all our commitments pertaining from the Wye River Memorandum in accordance with its attached time line, we urge the Israeli Government to reciprocate.

The language of peace must prevail over the language of conditions, threats and non-compliance.

Sincereley Yours,
Dr. Sa’eb Eraqat
Head of the Palestinian Side
Of the Steering and Monitoring Committee