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Israel Seeks Changes to "Road Map"
(Ha'aretz) - Aluf Benn Prime Minister Sharon gave the job of drafting an Israeli response to the proposed "road map" for an Israeli-Palestinian agreement to a team headed by his bureau chief, attorney Dov Weisglass, who was instructed to write a draft in keeping with President Bush's June 24, 2002 speech. The Israeli document will be presented to the new government before it is given to the Americans. The corrections proposed by Israel include: Security. Instead of the vague formulas of the road map, Israel details the security arrangements originally written into the Tenet and Zinni plans for a cease-fire, which were never implemented. Reforms. Israel wants to expand and detail the demands for deep and comprehensive reforms on the Palestinian side, especially with regard to the authority granted to the Palestinian prime minister. Sovereignty. According to the Israeli document, Palestine would be totally demilitarized; it would only be allowed to maintain a police force and domestic security forces, armed with light weapons; Israel will control all the entrances and exits and the air space above the state; Palestinians would be absolutely forbidden to form alliances with enemies of Israel. Timing. Sharon wants to make clear that, at first, all the demands are on the Palestinian side, beginning with a cease-fire, leadership change, and comprehensive reforms, followed by Israel's steps. The Israeli document erases the demand in the road map that Israel's leadership announce an "end to violence and incitement" against the Palestinians. Language. The Israeli version erases any mention of the Saudi Arabian peace initiative from the introduction, which names the Saudi initiative as one of the sources of authority, with equal status to Security Council resolutions and the interim agreements between Israel and the Palestinians.