2010 -
Tehran Declaration - Declaration of Turkey, Brazil and Iran concerning a nuclear fuel swap scheme that would have left Iran with enough enriched uranium to build a nuclear weapon.
2008 -
U.N. Security Council Resolution 1803 - This resolution supposedly tightened sanctions against Iran for its refusal to stop uranium enrichment and allow proper IAEA inspection of its nuclear facilities.
2007:
President Bashar al Assad Inauguration Speech, July 18, 2007 - Syrian President Assad proposed direct peace negotiations with Israel, provided that Israel would agree in advance to withdraw from the Golan heights to the borders of June 4, 1967.
2007:
Riyadh Arab Summit Resolutions - The Arab League resolved to renew the Arab peace initiative of 2003, but most of the resolutions were not conciliatory to Israel.
2007: UN Security Council Resolution 1747 - This resolution was passed after lengthy negotiations in March of 2007, to impose further sanctions on Iran for failing to halt enrichment of uranium, after its failure to comply with resolutions
1737 and
1696.
2007: Platform of the Palestinian Unity government - On March 17, 2007, the Palestinians formed a unity government. Its platform is at best ambiguous regarding the prospects for peace, and promises "resistance" until the return of Palestinian refugees and the end of the occupation, which, it states, began 60 years ago.
2006: Iraq Study Group Report: A US bipartisan group commissioned by the government gave recommendations for dealing with the deteriorating situation in Iraq.
2006: UN Security Council Resolution 1701 - This resolution was passed to end the Israeli retaliatory attack on Lebanon in August of 2006 and to disarm the Hezbollah, after Hezbollah attacked Israel, killing three soldiers and kidnapping two others and triggering a month of intense hostilities.
2006: UN Security Council Resolution 1680 - This resolution urges Syria to delineate borders with Lebanon, and open an embassy. It reiterates the call for disarming of militias including the Hezbollah terrorists.
2006- Palestinian Prisoners' Document - This document was adopted by Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, including members of the Hamas and Fatah factions, as a basis for conciliation between the rival factions. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas proposed to make it Palestinian national policy. After significant revisions were incorporated in the document, Hamas agreed to it on June 27, but apparently this agreement was not final.
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2006- Quartet Meeting Statement of May 9 - The quartet overseeing the road map for Middle East Peace met and decided to implement emergency efforts for the relief of Palestinians, if a mechanism could be found that would avoid funding the Hamas government.
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2006: Iranian President Ahmadinejad's letter to US President George Bush - As pressure mounted against Iran to comply with UN and IAEA requests regarding their nuclear development program, Iranian President Ahmadinejad announced dramatically that he was sending a letter to President Bush offering to negotiate their differences. Instead, he sent a most remarkable letter preaching at Mr. Bush to repent of democracy and return to the way of religion.
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2005: Sasson report on Illegal outposts - Israel report that documented the fact that numerous "outposts" were created in the occupied territories without government approval and in blatant violation of the law.
2004
9-11 Commission Report - Report of the commission created to investigate the performance of the United States government in the attacks of Sepctember 11, 2001
2004: UN Security Council Resolution 1559 - This resolution is aimed at Syria and was an unsuccessful attempt to prevent the amendment of the Lebanese constitution to allow Syrian-sponsored Emile Lahoud to remain President for an additional three years. It calls for an end to interference in Lebanese internal affairs and for withdrawal of foreign (Syrian) troops from Lebanon.
2004: Ariel Sharon's Disengagement Plan - Exchange of letters between Israeli PM Ariel Sharon and US President George W. Bush regarding Sharon's proposal for unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and portions of the West Bank.
2003: UN Security Council Resolution 1515 - This resolution, introduced by Russia, adopts the quartet roadmap for peace between Palestinians and Israel as UN policy, explicitly endorses a permanent two-state solution to the conflict and calls on the sides to implement their obligations under the roadmap.
2003: Purported Letter of Iranian government to the US government - A letter having this content was supposedly sent by the government of Iran to the United States in 2003. It promised Iranian acceptance of the Arab peace initiative and cessation of terror in return for US concessions and cooperation. It was rebuffed by the US government.
2002: Jerusalem: Foreign Relations Authorization Act - This act calls for removing the US Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, and recognizing Jerusalem as part of Israel. President Bush announced that he will treat it as "advisory," meaning that he will ignore it.
2002: President Bush's Draft Road Map for a Palestinian- Israeli Settlement - In October of 2002, US President Bush issued his own version of a detailed road map for a Palestinian - Israeli settlement, based on the Quartet statement of September 17.
It is known as Elements of a Performance-Based Road Map to a Permanent Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.
2002: Quartet Road Map Statement - Sept. 17 - Representatives from the European Union, the United Nations, and Russia formed group known as the "
The Quartet," which began to shape international policy toward resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Quartet issued the statement below regarding a road map for peace on September 17, 2002.
2002: President Bush: Colin Powell to Travel to the Middle East - Following the initiation of the Israel Defensive Wall operation, President Bush announced that he was sending Secretary of State Colin Powell to the Middle East in an attempt to negotiate a cease fire in the
Second Intifada.
2002: PNA Basic Law - Under pressure for reform, PNA Chairman Yasser Arafat signs the transitional constitution of the Palestine authority. (Approved by PLC in October 1997, signed into law on May 30, 2002). The law guarantees basic rights, but states that Palestinian legislation will be based on the principles of Islamic Sha'arieh law.
2002: UN Security Council Resolution 1405 - Calls for lifting the restrictions on the work of humanitarian organizations in Jenin and for a fact finding committee to investigate the conditions following Israeli operations against terrorists. The resolution was passed following Palestinian allegations of a massacre in Jenin.
2002: UN Security Council Resolution 1402 - This resolution was drafted by Norway following the Israeli incursions into Jenin, Ramallah, Bethlehem and other towns. The towns were occupied and the Israeli Army defeated entrenched guerilla forces of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs suicide brigades, after Palestinians stepped up attacks at the end of March. The almost daily attacks included a suicide attack that killed 27 people in a Nethanya hotel while they were celebrating the Passover holiday. Syria abstained, ostensibly because the resolution didn't condemn Israel strongly enough.
2002: UN Security Council Resolution 1397 - This resolution was adopted in the face of mounting violence and failure to obtain a ceasefire. Israel had invaded Balata refugee camp following several Palestinian suicide attacks and other incidents. The Security Council called for establishment of a Palestinian state.
2002: Arab Peace Initiative - Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah floated an Arab peace plan that was discussed and modified at an Arab League summit conference in Beirut in March of 2002. As modified by the Arab summit, the plan apparently calls for Israeli withdrawal from all territories occupied since 1967 and return of the Palestine refugees to Israel, in return for recognition of Israel and normal relations. The conference modified the proposal of Saudi Arabia by making explicit reference to UN resolution 194 and adding other stipulations that seem to mean that only return of the refugees to Israel would be acceptable. The King of Jordan and President of Egypt did not attend. Palestinian Chairman Yasser Arafat was prevented from attending by the Israeli government.
2001: The Moratinos Non-Paper - EU envoy Miguel Moratinos prepared a "non-paper" summarizing the positions of the sides at the conclusion of the Taba talks.
2001: The Palestinian and Israel Proposals at Taba regarding the Refugee Problem - The Palestine refugee problem remains perhaps the most difficult obstacle facing Israeli and Palestinian negotiators. In January 2001, the sides met at Taba in a last-minute effort to salvage a peace agreement. At the conclusion of negotiations, they issued an optimistic joint communique. Their positions regarding the refugee problem were published in the French newspaper Le Monde, and indicate fundamental differences of opinion.
2000: The Clinton Bridging Proposals - Negotiators of the Palestinian and Israeli sides, together with American officials met in the United States. After several days of negotiations, President Clinton offered these proposals to bridge differences between the sides.
2000: Camp David Summit Statement - Israeli, Palestinian and American leaders met at Camp David in an attempt to frame a final status agreement. The meeting ended in stalemate, but the statement issued at least left a small opening for hope.
1998 -
The Palestinian Refugee Issue From A FATEH Perspective - This address by Fatah Central Committee member Sakher Habash explains that Fateh policy is to perpetuate the refugee problem and to use return of the Palestinian refugees as a "winning card" that will mean the end of Israel. According Habash, this is also the policy of the Palestinian National Authority.
1998: US Letters of Assurance Regarding Wye Memorandum Issues - Following the conclusion of the Wye River Memorandum negotiations, US officials provided Israel with letters of assurance regarding the cancellation of PLO charter provisions about destruction of Israel, and elimination of armament and surplus police not permitted under the Oslo agreement.
1998: Wye River Memorandum - Palestinian and Israeli commitments regarding the "second redeployment" (the first one was never implemented) under the interim Oslo agreement.
1996: Fatwa of Osama Bin Laden - On September 11, 2001, simultaneous terror attacks on the Twin Towers financial center in New York City and on the Pentagon in Washington DC killed thousands. The man behind these bombings is Osama Bin Laden, Saudi millionaire and religious fanatic. Text of Declarations of war and Fatwa against the West. Both issued 1996, republished in 1998. The 1999 Fatwa with commentary: Osama Bin Laden Fatwa of 1998
1995- Last Speech of Yitzhak Rabin - Israeli Prime Minister Yitshak Rabin was assassinated by right-wing fanatic Yigal Amir at a giant peace rally in 1995. The rally had been called to protest violence that had been rising on both sides, and to reaffirm the commitment of the government and the Israeli people to peace.
1995: Jerusalem Embassy Act - This act of the US congress called for moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, and for recognizing Jerusalem as the united capital of Israel. It has had no practical effect, because presidents Clinton and Bush issued periodic waivers stating that implementation of the act would interfere with US policy.
1995: The Oslo Interim Agreement - This frequently misunderstood document made it possible to hold elections and set up a Palestinian Authority that would negotiate a final settlement with the Israelis. It did not stipulate the nature of the final settlement in any way.
1995: The Beilin Abu-Mazen Draft Agreement - Draft agreement, never ratified, between Israeli negotiator Yossi Beilin and PLO negotiator Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas). Though repudiated by both sides, many of the principles of the agreement have been reflected in subsequent negotiations.
1994: Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty - After the Palestinian - Israeli peace process appeared to be well under way, Jordan and Israel were able to rapidly conclude a peace treaty, aided by warm personal relations between HM King Hussein and PM Rabin.
1993: The Oslo Declaration of Principles - Breakthrough agreement of mutual recognition between the State of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, which began the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
1993: Exchange of Letters between Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat - Prior to the signing of the Oslo Declaration of Principles, Yasser Arafat of the PLO and Yitzhak Rabin exchanged letters. Arafat promised to refrain from violence and to amend the PLO Charter which called for liquidation of Israel. Rabin promised to work for normalization of life for Palestinians and peace.
1989- The Taif Accords - This agreement was concluded between warring factions in Lebanon under the auspices of the Arab league and Syria. They were intended to settle the Lebanese civil war and legitimize the Syrian occupation.
1989: Israeli Peace Proposal - Under pressure from the US following the Palestine National Council declaration of acceptance of UN Resolutions 242 and 338, Israel issues a peace plan for negotiations with the Palestinians, but not with the PLO.
1988: Palestinian Declaration of Independence - Under the impetus of the uprising ("Intifadeh") in the Israeli-occupied Arab territories, the Palestine Liberation Organization declared a state in exile. Some see this declaration as implying recognition of Israel, but the declaration makes no mention of Israel or of UN resolution 242.
1988: The Hamas Charter - This Islamic fundamentalist group was formed to fight the idea of compromise over Palestine/Israel. Its charter declared that all of Palestine belongs to the Moslems, that it can only be liberated by Jihad - holy war, and that the program of Zionism was to expand and take over Arab countries one by one. This Zionist program, according to the charter, is set forth in the Protocols of the Elders of Zion (an anti - Semitic forgery).
1985: Program of the Hezbollah (Hizbullah) - The Hezbollah was originally organized as a radical Shi'ite militia to fight the Israeli occupation of Lebanon in 1985. It evolved into an Iranian and Syrian supported movement for the destruction of Israel.
1983: Kahan Commission Report - This report summarizes the investigation of massacres perpetrated in the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps by Phalangist Christian militia allied to Israel. The report concluded that Israeli Defense Minister Ariel Sharon and others had indirect responsibility for the massacres, since they had ample reason to believe that they could occur, and nonetheless allowed the militia to enter the camps.
1982: Resolutions of the Twelfth Arab Summit at Fez - the
Fez peace initiative (also known as the
Fahd Plan) = The resolutions of the Twelfth Arab summit at Fez were noteworthy for including the Fez (or Fahd) peace initiative, because they were based on a plan by Saudi Arabia, named for King Fahd. The initiative called for Israeli withdrawal from the territories occupied in the 6-day war and return of the Palestinian Arab refugees. It stopped short of promising recognition of Israel explicitly, but did refer to the right of all states to live in peace.
1978: The Camp David Framework Agreements - Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli PM Menachem Begin, meeting at Camp David under the auspices of US President Jimmy Carter, sign framework agreements for peace in the Middle East and peace between Egypt and Israel. The Middle East framework was not implemented, but its some principles were incorporated in later negotiations with the Palestinians and Syrians.
1977: PLO Six Point Program - In reaction to the visit of Egyptian President Anwar As Sadat to Jerusalem, offering peace, the PLO formed a block of opposition states and groups, reiterating its rejection of UN Resolutions 242 and 338, and its intention to destroy Israel.
1977: Anwar Sadat Speech to the Knesset - In November of 1977, President Anwar as Sadat of Egypt traveled to Jerusalem and delivered this plea for peace that initiated the Israeli-Egyptian peace process.
1974- Yasser Arafat's Speech Before the UN General Assembly - Yasser Arafat, chairman of the PLO was invited to speak before the UN General Assembly. He equated Zionism with racism and anti-Semitism, asserted that terrorism was legitimate for the purpose of revolution, and vowed to liberate Palestine and replace Israel with a secular democratic state.
1974 - Palestine National Council Resolution - In 1974, the Palestine National Council adopted a program for gradual "liberation" of Palestine, declaring that it would establish a state on any part of Palestine liberated from the Zionists. This has variously been interpreted as a historic compromise implying that Palestinians would be willing to live alongside Israel, or as a "staged plan" for the destruction of Israel.
1968: Palestinian National Charter - Revised document adopted by the Palestine Liberation Organization in 1968, as the basis for their struggle against Israel and Zionism. In 1993, as part of the Oslo agreement, the Palestinians promised to cancel key provisions of the charter that denied the right of Israel to exist. The PLO executive met on two different occasions (the second one in the presence of President Clinton) to alter the charter.
1967: Khartoum Resolutions - Following the 6-Day war, an Arab summit meeting in Khartoum rejected the possibility of peace or negotiations with Israel.
1964: The second Arab summit conference - The conference held in Alexandria on Sept. 13, 1964, declared the goal of eliminating Israel, and made concrete decisions regarding unification of army commands, increased size of armed forces and diversion of the waters of the Jordan before they reached the Sea of Galilee, in Syria and Lebanon.
1964 -
Palestinian National Charter (original) - The Palestine Liberation Organization was formed in this period at the instigation of Syria and Egypt and adopted a charter calling for the destruction of Israel and "liberation" of all of "Palestine."
1964(?) The Fateh Constitution - The Fateh Palestinian resistance movement began to form about 1957, but was not officially organized until the 60s. It soon became the leading Palestinian group. Their constitution, which has not been changed following the peace accords, calls for the destruction of Israel and of Zionism.
1956: UN General Assembly Resolution 997 - Passed following the Israeli/Anglo-French invasion of Egypt ("The Suez Campaign"), this resolution calls for immediate withdrawal of all forces to the armistice lines. The security council was unable to pass any resolution on this issue because the French and British would have vetoed it. Accordingly Security Council Resolution 119 called for a meeting of the General Assembly.
1949:
Palestine Holy Places - Document prepared for the UN Secretariat listing the major holy places and the status and resolution of conflicting claims of ownership.
1948: Arab League Statement - Immediately following the Israeli declaration of independence, the Arab League states declared war on Israel and issued a statement announcing their intentions to restore the state of affairs prevailing prior to partition - in other words, to eliminate the State of Israel.
1948:
The British Record on Partition - A study by
The Nation magazine submitted as a report to the U.N., with documentation, claimed to demonstrate how the British had fought to subvert the UN partition resolution on Palestine, and made a key contribution to founding the Israeli-Arab conflict.
1948: British Police Report Regarding Arab Evacuation of Haifa - In the chaos that ensued
following the decision of the UN to partition Palestine , Palestinian Arabs began fleeing from major towns, including Haifa. Part of the flight was directed from above, by the Arab higher command, part was due to fear following the attack of Jewish dissidents on
Deir Yassin , in which over a hundred civilians were killed. In Haifa, Jewish attacks by the
Hagganah and Irgun as well as Arab attacks and Jewish counter-attacks, turned the city into a battle field. Some Jewish authorities intervened to try to convince Arabs to stay, but the leadership explained that Arab higher committee members had left, the community was disintegrating as they talked, and there was nothing they could do.
1948: Plan Dalet (Plan D) - The general plan developed over several years by the Haganah for defense in case of Arab attack on the Jewish state.
1947: Haifa Refinery Riots - Following the announcement of the partition plan, violence erupted sporadically throughout Palestine. Here is one account of a major incident in Haifa.
1947: UNSCOP Report - Report of the UN Special Committee on Palestine appointed to examine the question of Palestine.
1947: UN Debate on Establishment of USCOP - Statements of Iraqi delegate and of Soviet FM Gromyko. The Iraqi delegate stated his government's commitment to a single democratic state, while the Soviet delegate outlined the cases for a binational state, or if the sides failed to be reconciled, to a partition solution.
1945: Pact of the Arab League - The Arab League was formed to further Arab interests, and in particular, to block further development of Palestine as a national home for the Jewish People.
1944: Alexandria Protocol - In 1944, Arab leaders met in Alexandria. The resulting resolutions led to formation of the Arab League.
1942: The Biltmore Program - The
1939 British White Paper had closed Palestine to Jewish immigration, trapping millions of Jews in Nazi occupied Europe. Zionist leaders met in the Biltmore Hotel in New York, and declared their support for a Jewish Commonwealth and renewed immigration, in open defiance of the British mandatory authorities.
1937 -
King Saud's Views on Palestine and Partition - In 1937, King Saud explained to a retired British official, H.R.P. Dickson, why the Arabs would oppose partition of Palestine as recommended by the Peel Commission, and urged the British to stop Jewish immigration and not to make concessions to the Jews, who he said were '
a race accursed by God according to His Holy Book, and destined to final destruction and eternal damnation hereafter.' Saud's threat that the Arabs would abandon Britain if partition was implemented, may have been instrumental in shaping British policy in Palestine.
1930: The Passfield White Paper- The Passfield White Paper, issued simultaneously with the Hope-Simpson report, adopted the provisions of the Hope-Simpson report and declared that the protection of the rights of Arab inhabitants was of equal importance to the mission of the British Mandate with the development of a Jewish National Home.
1930: The Hope-Simpson Report -
(note - this is a very large document) The Hope Simpson report, issued following the riots of 1929, recommended the cessation of Jewish immigration to Palestine pending development of irrigation, which might allow the immigration of an additional 20,000 families.
1923: Vladimir Jabotinsky: The Iron Wall - This essay was published by the head of the Zionist Revisionist movement, Vladimir (Ze'ev) Jabotinsky in 1923. In reaction to riots that had occurred in 1920 and 1921. It called for an independent, legal Jewish defense force, a Jewish Legion in Palestine, which Jabotinsky referred to as an "Iron Wall."
1922: The Churchill ("Command") White Paper - Document that created, in effect, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, while reasserting the commitment of Great Britain to a Jewish National Home in Palestine west of the Jordan river.
1920 - San Remo Resolution - Resolution of the 1920 San Remo conference of the four principal allied powers, concerning the distribution of class "A" mandates in the Middle East territories of the former Ottoman Empire. Syria was to have been an independent state. Palestine was to have been a Jewish homeland, but the mandate was not yet assigned to any country. This document should not be confused with a document called the "San Remo Convention" that appears in a few places on the Web, but which is identical to the text of the British Mandate for Palestine issued in London in 1922 by the League of Nations.
1919: The King-Crane Commission Report - (
note - this is a very large document) - The King Crane Commission was appointed by U.S. President Wilson to ascertain the will of the inhabitants of the Middle East with regard to proposed French and British mandates, and the allocation of Palestine as a national home for the Jewish people.
1919: Statement of the Zionist Organization to the Paris Peace Conference - The Zionist organization presented this statement at the Paris peace conference, outlining the Zionist position regarding Palestine, and supporting the British proposal for a mandate that would create a Jewish national home, in line with the
Balfour Declaration . The statement provides a great deal of background regarding the position of various Zionist groups and foreign governments, and gives proposed borders for the Palestine mandate as well as proposals for organization of the Palestine government.
1919: Feisal-Frankfurter Correspondence - Letters exchanged between Feisal, the son of Sharif Hussayn and US Justice Felix Frankfurter, at the Paris peace conference in 1919, assuring Dr. Frankfurter that Zionism had the support of the Arabs, and declaring that Zionism is a national movement and not an imperialist movement.
1919: Feisal-Weizmann Agreement - Aborted agreement between the son of Sharif Hussayn, leader of the Arab revolt, and Dr. Haim Weizmann, head of the Zionist movement, in which Zionists agreed to further Arab nationalist aims and Feisal agreed to support the Balfour declaration and large scale Jewish immigration to Palestine, provided that the Arabs received an independent state in Iraq and Syria.
1917: Balfour Declaration - The "letter" from Lord Balfour to Lord Rothschild, declaring that the British government "view with favor" the establishment of a Jewish National Home in Palestine. This was to be the basis of the League of Nations Mandate for Palestine, granted to Great Britain.
1916: Sykes-Picot Agreement - Agreement between Mark Sykes for Britain and Georges Picot for France, granting parts of the Middle East to French and International Control.
1915: Husayn-McMahon Correspondence - Letter from Sir Henry McMahon to Sherif Husayn (Hussein of Mecca) in 1915, reserving part of the area to be liberated from Turkish control for non-Arab control. The boundaries of the area specified were vague. Various commentators decided that the area did or did not include Palestine according to their partisan prejudices.
1897: Program of the First Zionist Congress - Theodore Herzl organized the first Zionist Congress in Basle, Switzerland in 1897. Prior to the Congress, Zionist activities had been initiated by several different groups such as
Hovevei Zion (lovers of Zion) with no central direction or political program. The Basle Congress was the foundation of a mass Zionist movement.
1896: The Jewish State, by Theodore Herzl - This book became, essentially, the program of the Zionist movement and the embodiment of its common ideology. Complete downloadable source, with a historical preface.
1799 - Napoleon's Proclamation of a Jewish State - In this stillborn proclamation, Napoleon offered the Jews a state in Palestine under French protection. This was the first of many such nineteenth century projects for restoration of the Jews in Palestine.
638 - Covenant of Omar - When the Caliph Omar conquered Jerusalem in 638, he gave the Christian inhabitants a proclamation affording them his protection.
