The negotiations at the Wye River Conference Center

            The negotiations at the Wye River Conference Center brought about an interim agreement that built upon prior agreements, set up mechanisms to help facilitate further peace, and put in place a time line as well as the procedures to finalize an agreement to bring complete peace to this region. The Wye River agreements appear to not have fully succeeded since the goal they set up to a full agreement by May 4, 1999. The agreements were broken down into 5 key areas. The first two being the most important redeployment, security, economic issues and interim committees, permanent negotiation status, and unilateral actions. .

             The first area of negotiation was in redeployment. The first and second of three phases was completed. The Israeli"s transferred 1 percent of area A and 12 percent of Area B to the Palestinians but no explanation or maps were giving of which areas these were. As a clause to this redeployment the Palestinians agreed to set aside 3 percent as nature reserves, where no change in the status of these lands will be changed and the rights of the people currently living there will not being affected. Also as a condition the only construction on these lands can be maintaining existing roads and buildings. The sides also agreed that the third and final phase of redeployment would be handled by a committee that is to be set up by the two sides after the 12th week period of the agreement and the first two phases of redeployment has gotten underway.

             The other main area of negotiations revolved around security in the Middle East and abroad. Both sides agreed "to take all measures necessary in order to prevent acts of terrorism, crime and hostilities directed against the other side, the persons falling under the other sides authority, and against their property." The Palestinians agreed to make a clear policy of zero tolerance for terrorism and violence and to create a work plan to combat terrorism to share with the U.

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