| NGOs Demand Palestinian Strategy In the discussion following the presentation of the working papers, NGOs and independent researchers criticized the Palestinian delegates for their heavy emphasis on numbers on the expense of a clear strategy and tactics in the negotiations with Israel. NGOs suggested removing the issue of “lost IDs” and Palestinian deportees from the agenda of the negotiations on the 1967 displaced persons and to pressure for specific and more efficient solutions for these two categories. Palestinian negotiators should insist on the establishment of the Joint Committee on “lost IDs” explicitly mentioned in the Taba Agreement (Article 28/3). Unfortunately the Palestinian delegates present were not informed of the existence of this article.
Researchers and NGOs also expressed their concern for the deteriorating residency status of Palestinians in Jerusalem. The Palestinian officials confirmed that residency issues pertaining to Jerusalem, including the return of “lost IDs” and 1967 displaced, could be raised only in the final status negotiations. |
