Office of the Historian

210. U.S. Paper1

Washington, February 3, 1978

U.S. Nine-Point Proposal

1. A self-rule arrangement would be established for a transitional five-year period.

2. Authority for this interim arrangement will derive from agreement among Israel, Jordan, and Egypt. The agreement will be negoti [Page 987] ated among representatives of these states and of the Palestinians (from the West Bank and Gaza).

3. The agreement will provide for self-rule by an authority freely elected by the inhabitants of the West Bank and Gaza. The agreement would define the responsibilities of that authority.

4. Neither Israel nor Jordan will assert their claims to sovereignty over the West Bank and Gaza during the five-year period.

5. Israeli forces would withdraw to limited and specified encampments.

6. During the five-year period, in order to implement UN Resolution 242 negotiations will be conducted and agreement will be reached among the West Bank/Gaza authority, Israel, Jordan, and Egypt on Israeli withdrawal from territories occupied in 1967, on secure and recognized final boundaries, including possible modifications in the 1967 lines, on the security arrangements which will accompany Israel’s final withdrawal, and on the long-term relationship of the West Bank and Gaza to Israel and Jordan.

7. The agreement negotiated by the parties would come into effect by expressed consent of the governed to the substance of the agreement.

8. During the interim period the negotiating parties will constitute a continuing committee to reach agreements on:

  • a. Issues arising under the agreement regarding the conduct of the interim regime, not resolvable by the West Bank/Gaza authority;
  • b. The introduction of UN or Jordanian military presence on the West Bank and Gaza;
  • c. Provision for an economically practicable level of resettlement in the West Bank and Gaza of Palestinian refugees;
  • d. Reciprocal rights of residence in Israel and the territories for Palestinian Arabs and Israelis, and for land purchases with Israeli citizens and West Bank/Gaza residents entitled to buy land either in the West Bank/Gaza or in Israel.

9. A regional economic development plan would be launched, including Jordan, the West Bank/Gaza authority, Israel and Egypt.

  1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East File, Trips/Visits File, Box 110, 6/30/78–7/3/78 Vice President Trip to Israel: 2/78–6/21/78. Secret. According to William Quandt, Brzezinski worked with State Department officials on a nine-point proposal that utilized elements of Begin’s self-rule proposal. The proposal was completed by February 3, the day Sadat arrived at Camp David. (Quandt, Camp David, Peacemaking and Politics, pp. 171–172)↩