Israel’s Labour offers peace plan

ISRAEL’S Labour Party is offering the Palestinians parts of Jerusalem and joint administration of disputed holy sites — the most explicit programme of compromise laid out before an election by a major Israeli party.

Labour officials yesterday confirmed the content of the programme, which formalises campaign promises made by party chief Amram Mitzna ahead of the January 28 elections.

As prime minister, Mr Mitzna would withdraw immediately from the Gaza Strip without preconditions and resume peace talks with the Palestinians, the programme says. If there is no agreement after a year, Israel will withdraw from considerable parts of the West Bank and draw its own “security border”.