The Geneva Initiative came about soon after the breakdown of official Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations in early 2001. A group of former negotiators and public figures from both sides drafted a model peace agreement to show that there remained wide support among both Israelis and Palestinians for a solution based on two states for two peoples.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | June 3, 2007

The 40-page initiative was signed by a nonofficial group of Palestinians and Israelis that included former Israeli generals, former Palestinian prisoners and former Cabinet ministers from both sides. It builds on previous formal negotiations and reflects what most who have been involved in the Middle East peace process know to be the inevitable contours of a peace deal. The initiative’s main provisions are:

• A Palestinian state would be established alongside the state of Israel, with its borders following the 1967 lines except for minor reciprocal modifications incorporating the majority of Israeli settlers.
• Jerusalem would be divided, with Arab neighborhoods under Palestinian sovereignty and Jewish neighborhoods under Israeli sovereignty. The Old City of Jerusalem also would be divided but with no physical borders to avoid harming its historic nature and to ensure that Muslims, Christians and Jews have free access to their respective religious sites.
• Palestinian refugees could return to the Palestinian state, and some might be admitted into Israel or third countries subject to the countries’ discretion. Refugees would be entitled to compensation designed to help them reach closure for their painful experience and to develop their economy.
• Detailed security arrangements, including a multinational military force, would address Israeli security concerns without undermining the independence and viability of the Palestinian state.

To learn more about the Geneva Initiative, visit www. geneva.accord.org.