How have Israeli and Palestinian leaders reacted to it?
Neither the Israeli Government nor the Palestinian legislative Council have backed the accord. In fact, the Israeli Government and hardline Palestinians have poured scorn on it. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon denounced Mr Beilin and his fellow Israeli negotiators as “traitors”. He recently said the initiative “does Israel damage and is a mistake”. Radical Palestinian groups including Islamic Jihad and the Islamic Resistance Movement, have also denounced the Palestinian negotiators as traitors for giving up the right of return. Q: What about popular support? A few weeks ago, a copy of the agreement was sent to every home in Israel. It was also printed in Palestinian newspapers. A poll published shortly after suggested that 55.6% of Palestinians and 53% of Israelis backed the principles of the Geneva accord. A Washington think-tank, the Baker Institute, commissioned the survey, which asked 1,241 Israelis and Palestinians for their views on the peace plan’s terms without mentioning i
