15 September 2004

The following is one of a series of seven fact sheets describing U.S. goals at the 59th session of the United Nations General Assembly:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of Public Affairs

TO FURTHER THE ROADMAP TO PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

"America will work without tiring to achieve two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in security and prosperity and in peace."

-- President George W. Bush, May 9, 2003

The United States continues to actively pursue President Bush's goal of Israel and Palestine living together in peace and security. To this end, the U.S. is working to achieve the goals of the Roadmap, which is a performance-based approach to a permanent two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The 58th U.N. General Assembly adopted 21 resolutions concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Many of those resolutions implied that only Israel has obligations and responsibilities to make peace. They failed to address both sides of the larger security context of the Middle East, including devastating suicide attacks against Israel. One-sided resolutions only serve to undermine the ability of the United Nations to play a constructive role in promoting peace. We believe all resolutions on Israeli- Palestinian peace should reflect the balance of mutual responsibilities embodied by the Roadmap.

The Roadmap, endorsed in the Security Council Resolution 1515, outlines the obligations and responsibilities of both parties to achieve peace and security. To facilitate that solution, the United States seeks to bring balance to the number and content of Middle East resolutions in the General Assembly.

As in previous years, the U.S. will encourage the General Assembly to reduce the overall number of Middle East resolutions introduced. The U.S. also hopes the General Assembly will adopt a resolution condemning anti-Semitism and make more references to anti-Semitism in pertinent resolutions. The U.S. will continue to advocate for the abolition of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices and other bodies that are biased against Israel.

The international community has long recognized that resolution of this conflict must come through negotiated settlement. The United States seeks to bring balance to Middle East resolutions to better support the peace process and the implementation of the Roadmap.

Highlights of the Roadmap

-- The goal is the comprehensive settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

-- Phase I of the Roadmap includes ending terror and violence, normalizing Palestinian life, and building Palestinian institutions. Palestinians and Israelis resume security cooperation, and Palestinians undertake comprehensive political reform in preparation for statehood, including drafting a Palestinian constitution, and holding free, fair, and open elections.

-- In Phase II, efforts are focused on the option of creating an independent Palestinian state with provisional borders and attributes of sovereignty, based on the new constitution.

-- Phase III results in a permanent status agreement and the end of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Comprehensive settlement will result in the emergence of an independent, democratic, and viable Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel and its other neighbors.

(end fact sheet)