Al mashriq - The Levant

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                             ISRAEL-PLO RECOGNITION



    1. LETTER FROM YASSER ARAFAT TO PRIME MINISTER RABIN:


                                                           September 9, 1993


    Mr. Prime Minister,

    The signing  of the  Declaration of  Principles marks  a new  era in the
    history of the Middle East. In firm conviction thereof,  I would like to
    confirm the following PLO commitments:

    The PLO  recognizes the  right of  the State of Israel to exist in peace
    and security.

    The PLO accepts United Nations Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338.

    The  PLO  commits itself  to the  Middle East  peace process,  and  to a
    peaceful resolution  of the  conflict between the two sides and declares
    that  all  outstanding  issues  relating  to  permanent  status  will be
    resolved through negotiations.

    The PLO  considers that  the signing  of the  Declaration of  Principles
    constitutes  a  historic event,  inaugurating  a new  epoch of  peaceful
    coexistence,  free from violence and all other acts which endanger peace
    and stability.  Accordingly,  the PLO renounces the use of terrorism and
    other  acts  of violence  and will  assume responsibility  over all  PLO
    elements and  personnel in  order to  assure their  compliance,  prevent
    violations and discipline violators

    In view  of the  pormise of a new era and the signing of the Declaration
    of Principles  and based  on Palestinian  acceptance of Security Council
    Resolutions  242 and  338, the PLO  affirms that  those articles  of the
    Palestinian  Covenant  which  deny  Israel's  right  to exist,  and  the
    provisions of  the Covenant  which are inconsistent with the commitments
    of this  letter are  now inoperative and no longer valid.  Consequently,
    the PLO  undertakes to  submit to  the Palestinian  National Council for
    formal  approval  the  necessary  changes in  regard to  the Palestinian
    Covenant.


                                   Sincerely,

                                 Yasser Arafat
                                    Chairman
                     The Palestine Liberation Organization



    Yitzhak Rabin
    Prime Minister of Israel




    2. LETTER FROM YASSER ARAFAT TO NORWEGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER:


                                                           September 9, 1993


    Dear Minister Holst,

    I  would  like  top  confirm  to  you  that,  upon  the  signing  of the
    Declaration  of  Principles,  the  PLO  encourages  and  calls upon  the
    Palestinian people  in the  West Bank and Gaza Strip to take part in the
    steps  leading  to the  normalization of  life,  rejecting violence  and
    terrorism,   contributing  to  peace  and  stability  and  participating
    actively in shaping reconstruction, economic develoment and cooperation.


                                   Sincerely,

                                 Yasser Arafat
                                    Chairman
                     The Palestine Liberation Organization



    His Excellency
    Johan Jorgen Holst
    Foreign Minister of Norway





    3. LETTER FROM PRIME MINISTER RABIN TO YASSER ARAFAT:


                                                           September 9, 1993


    Mr. Chairman,

    In response  to your  letter of  September 9, 1993, I wish to confirm to
    you that,  in light of the PLO commitments included in your letter,  the
    Government  nof   Israel  has  decided  to  recognize  the  PLO  as  the
    representative of  the Palestinian people and commence negotiations with
    the PLO within the Middle East peace process.


                                 Yitzhak Rabin
                            Prime Minister of Israel


    Yasser Arafat
    Chairman
    The Palestinian Liberation Organization

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