DRAFT ISRAEL - SYRIA - MFO RIDER TO MEFTA TREATY OF BUSINESS PEACE
(GOLAN MEFTA RIDER)

PREAMBLE

The Government of the State of Israel and the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic (hereinafter "the Governments"), and the Multinational Force and Observers (hereinafter "the MFO"):

Aiming at the achievement of a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East based on Security Council resolutions 242 and 338 and within the framework of the peace process initiated at Madrid on 31 October 1991, and building on the multilateral Israel-Palestine Gaza-MFO Treaty of Business Peace (hereinafter "Gaza Mefta Treaty"), which provides for the administration and policing by the MFO in the Gaza Strip of a Middle East Free Trade Area (hereinafter "Gaza Mefta");

The Governments reaffirming their faith in the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and recognizing their right to live in business peace with each other by establishing normal business relations in a Golan Middle East Free Trade Area (hereinafter "Golan Mefta") based on the Gaza Mefta Treaty, and in an adjacent Quneitra Free Trade Zone under Syria's full sovereignty.

Resolved to establish business peace between them in accordance with this Rider to th0e Gaza Mefta Treaty, including its  Mefta Annex, whose provisions are hereby incorporated by reference to the extent not inconsistent with this Rider;

Have agreed as follows:

ARTICLE I - Establishment of Business Peace and Golan Mefta

1. The state of war between Israel and Syria is hereby terminated by the Governments and business peace is established between them as set out in Article III below.

2. Israel shall assign by quitclaim deed to Syria full sovereignty over the area of the Golan Heights as defined by the boundaries provided by Article II below, and Syria shall immediately lease the area designated for Golan Mefta, as defined by the boundaries provided by Article II, to the MFO for jurisdiction over and administration of a Golan Mefta, patterned on Gaza Mefta, for a period of 35 years. In return for the Golan Mefta lease, the MFO shall pay to Syria 20 percent of all rentals paid by parties to this Rider for land sites to construct buildings in Golan Mefta. Israel shall retain a fully paid-up lease of the area between the western border of Golan Mefta and the permanent international boundary as determined by Article II to help protect Israel against terrorists. Each lease shall automatically be renewed for successive 15-year periods unless Syria, for any reason, terminates both leases on five years' written notice. Upon termination of both leases the entire area of the Golan Heights to the permanent international boundary shall revert to the full sovereignty of Syria.

3. Upon the establishment of Golan Mefta by the MFO, Israel shall relocate all its armed forces behind the western boundary of Golan Mefta in two phases, Phases I and II, Phase II occurring three years after Phase I. Each evacuated area shall be demilitarized. Syria shall exercise its full sovereignty on its side of Golan Mefta and Israel shall exercise its full sovereignty on its side of the permanent international boundary.

4. The permanent secure and recognized international boundary between Israel and Syria is the permanent international boundary which shall be agreed to by the Governments pursuant to Article II(4) below prior to the assignment of full sovereignty over the Golan Heights to Syria provided in Paragraph 2 above.

5. To enhance the security of both Governments, agreed security measures shall be implemented in accordance with Article IV below.

6. Syria and Israel shall have equal rights in Golan Mefta pursuant to Article VI(5) below.

7. The time line in the attached Time Line Annex sets forth an agreed schedule for synchronized implementation of this and the other Articles of this Rider.

ARTICLE II - Golan Mefta Boundaries and Permanent International Boundary

1. The boundaries of Golan Mefta Phases I and II are as shown on the maps and described in the attached Boundaries Annex.

2. Israel agrees that the permanent international boundary between Israel and Syria shall be the line of June 4, 1967 as shown on the maps and described in the Boundaries Annex. Syria agrees that Israel shall retain a fully paid-up lease of the area between the western boundary of Golan Mefta and the line of June 4, 1967. That retained lease shall last until the Golan Mefta lease is terminated by Syria.

3. The Governments shall respect the inviolability of these boundaries and of each other's territory, territorial waters and airspace.

4. A Joint Boundaries Commission shall be established to delineate the permanent international boundary between Israel and Syria. Its functions and activities are set out in the attached Joint Boundaries Commission Annex.

ARTICLE III - Nonbelligerence and Normal Business Relations

1. The Governments shall apply between them the provisions of international law governing nonbelligerence, including the relevant law governing neutral states during a war, and conduct normal business relations in Golan Mefta and the Quneitra Free Trade Zone. In particular:

a. they recognize and shall respect each other's right to live without war, shall refrain from the threat or use of force, directly or indirectly, against each other, and shall settle all disputes between them by peaceful means; and

b. they shall establish and develop business relations in Golan Mefta and the Quneitra Free Trade Zone, and shall work to strengthen business peace, business stability and business development in their region.

2. The Governments and the MFO agree that Golan Mefta shall be governed by the provisions applicable to Gaza Mefta in the Gaza Mefta Treaty and its Mefta Annex. to the extent not inconsistent with the provisions of this Rider.

3. The Governments recognize a mutuality of interest in good business relations in Golan Mefta and the Quneitra Free Trade Zone based on mutual business respect and for this purpose shall:

a. promote beneficial bilateral economic and trade relations in Golan Mefta and in the Quneitra Free Trade Zone by enabling  the free and unimpeded flow of goods and services there;

b. remove all discriminatory barriers to normal bilateral economic relations in Golan Mefta and the Quneitra Free Trade Zone;

c. promote beneficial multilateral economic and trade relations in Golan Mefta in cooperation with the MFO; and

d. promote tourism in Golan Mefta in order to facilitate and encourage tourism in the region.

4. The Governments shall not establish any diplomatic, consular, transportation or communications relations; nor shall Israelis have the right to tour or do business in Syria, except as provided herein.

ARTICLE IV - Security

1. The security arrangements established under the Agreement on Disengagement between Israeli and Syrian Forces of 31 May 1974 (hereinafter "1974 Disengagement Agreement") shall continue until mutually terminated by the Governments irrespective of the existence or termination of the Golan Mefta lease and this Rider.

2. All Israeli early warning capabilities in Golan Mefta, including the early warning ground station on Mt. Hermon, shall be privatized as research and development centers and operated solely by civilians, with Syrian civilian scientist observers, and Syria shall have matching civilian research and development centers in Golan Mefta, with Israeli civilian scientist observers, as detailed in the Attached Research and Development Centers Annex.

3. Both Governments recognize that terrorism threatens the success of Golan Mefta and the Quneitra Free Trade Zone, and therefore each shall act to prevent terrorism there.

4. Both Governments agree that the MFO in Golan Mefta shall have exclusive jurisdiction over the crimes of terrorism and smuggling (as defined by the MFO), crimes and civil disputes involving a non-Israeli citizen or a non-Syrian citizen, and crimes and civil disputes between an Israeli citizen and a Syrian citizen. The MFO agrees that Israel shall have exclusive jurisdiction over crimes and civil disputes solely involving Israeli citizens, and Syria shall have exclusive jurisdiction over crimes and civil disputes solely involving Syrian citizens.

ARTICLE V - Water

1. The Governments agree that the MFO shall ensure the continuation of Israel's current use in quantity and quality of all surface and underground waters in Golan Mefta.

2. The MFO shall construct a power/desalination plant in southern Golan Mefta to desalinate brackish water in the region using crude oil from the Trans-Arabian Pipeline that traverses Golan Mefta, and shall deliver the desalinated water and electrical power equitably and at affordable prices to Syria, Jordan, Israel and the Palestinians, as specified in the attached Water Annex.

ARTICLE VI - Rights and Obligations

1. This Rider does not affect and shall not be interpreted as affecting in any way the rights and obligations of the
Governments under the Charter of the United Nations.

2. The Governments undertake to fulfill in good faith their obligations under this Rider independently of any instrument external to this Rider, except for the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.

3. The Governments undertake not to enter into any obligation in conflict with this Rider.

4. Subject to Article 103 of the United Nations Charter, in the event of a conflict between the obligations of the
Governments under this Rider and any of their other obligations, the obligations under this Rider shall be binding and implemented.

5. The Governments agree that the MFO shall ensure equal treatment of them in Golan Mefta. In particular:

a. the MFO agrees that its international police force shall include equal numbers of former Syrian and Israeli police;

b. the MFO shall provide to Syria rent-free sites for municipalities and businesses in Golan Mefta equal in number to the rent-free sites of Israel;

c. the MFO agrees that Syrian and Israeli municipalities shall be under the civil administration (with local police) of Syria and Israel respectively; and

d. the MFO agrees that the number of Syrian citizens and Israeli citizens permanently residing in Golan Mefta shall be substantially equal; but

e. Israel agrees that the MFO shall require that all nonexecutive labor employed by non-Israeli businesses shall be Syrians commuting from Syria and especially the Quneitra Free Trade Zone, and Syria agrees that the wage for each such laborer shall not be greater than the average wage for corresponding labor employed in Damascus.

ARTICLE VII - Legislation

The Governments undertake to enact any legislation necessary in order to implement this Rider, and to repeal any legislation that is inconsistent with this Rider.

ARTICLE VIII - Settlement of Disputes

Disputes between the Governments arising out of the interpretation or application of this Rider shall be settled by
negotiation, aided by the good offices of the MFO.

ARTICLE IX - Final Clauses

1. This Rider shall be signed by the Director-General of the MFO and both Governments, and then ratified by both Governments in conformity with their respective constitutional procedures. It shall enter into force on the exchange of instruments of ratification by both Governments.

2. Any nation that is a party to the Gaza Mefta Treaty and desires that it and its citizens do business in Golan Mefta may accede to this Rider by depositing instruments of accession with the Governments and the MFO.

3. The Annexes attached to this Rider shall constitute integral parts thereof.

4. This Rider shall be communicated to the Secretary General of the United Nations for registration in accordance with the provisions of Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations.


DONE THIS_______ DAY OF _______ IN ______ IN THE ENGLISH, ARABIC AND HEBREW LANGUAGES, ALL LANGUAGES BEING EQUALLY AUTHENTIC. IN CASE OF ANY DIVERGENCE OF INTERPRETATION, THE ENGLISH TEXT SHALL BE AUTHORITATIVE.