ARAB INITIATIVE FOR PEACE
77. In 2002, Saudi Arabia proposed the Arab Initiative
for Peace which was subsequently adopted by the League of Arab
States.[134] The
crux of the plan involves a two-state solution, with Israel in
its 1967 boundaries. An independent Palestinian state would have
East Jerusalem as its capital. There would be a "just solution"
for Palestinian refugees and Israel's relations with the entire
Arab world would be normalised.[135]
Israel rejected the plan at the time. In 2007, the Saudi Government
re-submitted the plan to the Arab League, where it again won unanimous
approval. Before the summit itself, Dr Gooderham told us that
Israel was reconsidering its approach to the plan:
The sense that we have is that there might be a greater
readiness now on the part of the Israeli Government to look at
the initiative. Clearly, that is not to suggest that they will
swallow it whole, but they might be ready to recognise it as a
significant document and initiative, and to recognise the desire
on the part of a large number of Governments in the region to
see a solution to the conflict and to be ready, as part of that
solution, to recognise Israel in a diplomatic sense as well as
an existential sense.[136]
78. We suggested to Dr Gooderham that the issue of
the right of return for Palestinian refugees was a contentious
one with Israelis. He replied:
It has always been understood that that was one issue
that will have to be addressed in any final status settlement
or negotiation. It would be for the parties themselves to determine
how that principle should be applied.[137]
79. Dr Gooderham told us that the Government welcomed
the plan when it was first launched in 2002. We conclude that
the Arab Initiative for Peace is a positive proposal that deserves
serious consideration by all parties. We recommend that the Government
continue to support the Initiative, and that it facilitate where
possible discussion between the parties on contentious issues
such as the right of return for Palestinian refugees.
ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF PEACE
80. The new Prime Minister Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP
and his close allies have recently been emphasising the importance
of economics when considering the Middle East Peace Process. In
his speech to Chatham House in June 2007 (which we referred to
earlier in this Report), Ed Balls argued that the international
community needed an "economic roadmap" to accompany
the political process. He insisted that there was "no chance
of a lasting political settlement" when faced with "high
unemployment, rapidly rising poverty and economic collapse in
Gaza and the West Bank." Mr Balls identified five broad actions
that would be required:
- Stabilise the Palestinian economy
by addressing the fiscal crisis and controlling the growth of
public sector jobs;
- Acknowledge the asymmetry in the Israeli and
Palestinian economies. In 2005, Palestinian GDP was only 7 per
cent of Israel's, and the average Palestinian income was only
6 per cent that of an Israeli. Greater economic co-operation between
the two is required;
- Improve security to allow freer movement in the
Occupied Palestinian Territories. Israel's roadblocks and security
measures at the moment have left the Palestinian economy "hopelessly
fragmented";
- Encourage Palestinian economic diversification;
- Support the Palestinian private sector.[138]
81. We received written evidence from the Portland
Trust, a private not-for-profit foundation that is committed to
promoting peace and stability between Palestinians and Israelis
through economic development. It drew an analogy between the conflict
resolution required in the Middle East and the economic instruments
used in generating a peaceful solution in Northern Ireland. The
submission suggested that the UK has been "instrumental in
the development" of Loan Guarantee Schemes in the Occupied
Palestinian Territories and that the Government was "an impressive
advocate" of highlighting the importance of economics in
the Middle East.[139]
82. In May 2007, the World Bank published a report
on freedom of movement and access for Palestinians in the West
Bank. It noted there were "severe and expanding restrictions"
on movement, "contrary to a number of commitments" undertaken
by Israel and the Palestinian Authority, most recently the Agreement
on Movement and Access signed in November 2005.[140]
The World Bank stated:
While Israeli security concerns are undeniable and
must be addressed, it is often difficult to reconcile the use
of movement and access restrictions for security purposes from
their use to expand and protect settlement activity and the relatively
unhindered movement of settlers and other Israelis in and out
of the West Bank.[141]
In its written evidence to the Committee, the Council
for Arab-British
Understanding (CAABU) quoted UN figures that Israel has put in
place over 546 checkpoints and obstacles to movement in the West
Bank, and that this was helping to fragment authority in the territory.[142]
In our last Report on Foreign Policy Aspects of the War against
Terrorism, we noted that this figure had been under 400 in
November 2005.[143]
In a written answer in May, the then FCO Minister Rt Hon
Ian McCartney MP said that the Government continued "to raise
our concerns about movement restrictions" with the Israeli
Government and called on both parties to implement the 2005 Agreement
on Movement and Access.[144]
The Under-Secretary of State for International Development, Shahid
Malik, noted on 5 July 2007 that the Israeli security restrictions
make Palestinian trade "impossible". He illustrated
this by stating that the cost of transporting a container from
Gaza to the West Bank is as much as that of moving it from the
West Bank to China. He argued that this, as well as the presence
of 500,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank, has had "huge
consequences for the economic, cultural and social fabric of Palestinian
life."[145]
83. We
conclude that the Government's focus on developing an economic
roadmap for peace in the Middle East is to be strongly welcomed.
However, we further conclude that the expansion of Israeli roadblocks
and the growth of illegal settlements in the West Bank are among
the factors that have had a very damaging impact on the economic
situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We recommend
that, in its response to this Report, the Government provide the
Committee with an update on what progress has been made on implementation
of the Agreement on Movement and Access. We recommend that the
Government also provide its objective assessment of whether the
removal of checkpoints and roadblocks would present a credible
threat to the security of the State of Israel.
6 Foreign Affairs Committee, Fourth Report of Session
2005-06, Foreign Policy Aspects of the War against Terrorism,
HC 573, paras 183-222 Back
7
Q 22 Back
8
Q 24 Back
9
"New Israel defence minister named", BBC News Online,
15 June 2007, news.bbc.co.uk Back
10
Q 58 Back
11
Q 59 Back
12
Q 24 Back
13
Q 63 Back
14
Foreign Affairs Committee, Fourth Report of Session 2005-06,
Foreign Policy Aspects of the War against Terrorism, HC
573, paras 183-216 Back
15
Q 1 Back
16
HC Deb, 4 July 2006, col 223WH Back
17
HL Deb, 22 March 2007, col 218WA Back
18
"Israel seizes Hamas legislators", BBC News Online,
29 June 2006, news.bbc.co.uk Back
19
International Development Committee, Fourth Report of Session
2006-07, Development Assistance and the Occupied Palestinian
Territories, HC 114-I (2006-7), paras 11-12 Back
20
"In quotes: Gaza attack reaction", BBC News Online,
8 November 2006, news.bbc.co.uk Back
21
International Development Committee, Development Assistance
and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, paras 11-12 Back
22
"Hamas airs 'first Shalit message'", BBC News
Online, 25 June 2007, news.bbc.co.uk Back
23
HC Deb, 3 July 2007, col 808 Back
24
HC Deb, 5 July 2007, col 340WH Back
25
"Palestinian deaths rose in 2006", BBC News Online,
28 December 2006, news.bbc.co.uk Back
26
"Towards a Middle East Economic Roadmap", 19 June 2007,
www.hm-treasury.gov.uk Back
27
Q 7 Back
28
Q 68 Back
29
Q 56 Back
30
"Middle East Quartet should end Palestinian Authority aid
boycott and press Israel to release confiscated taxes Increasing
levels of poverty - health and education near melt-down - peace
further away", 21 February 2007, www.oxfam.org.uk Back
31
International Crisis Group, After Mecca: Engaging Hamas,
28 Feb 2007, p 6 Back
32
Q 8 Back
33
Q 53 Back
34
International Crisis Group, After Mecca: Engaging Hamas,
28 February 2007, p 9 Back
35
Ibid, p 11 Back
36
Q 68 Back
37
International Crisis Group, After Mecca: Engaging Hamas,
28 February 2007, p 13 Back
38
Q 53 Back
39
Q 1 Back
40
Q 53 Back
41
Q 3 Back
42
Qq 2, 3 Back
43
Q 21 Back
44
"Mecca's glimmer of hope for Palestinians", Financial
Times, 12 February 2007 Back
45
Q 4 Back
46
"Islamic Jihad to support new PA gov't", Jerusalem
Post, 8 February 2007 Back
47
Q 134 Back
48
Q 143 Back
49
"Blair hints UK may deal with Hamas", Financial
Times, 21 February 2007 Back
50
Q 146 Back
51
Q 57 Back
52
Q 55 Back
53
Q 54 Back
54
See paras 42-50 below Back
55
"Palestinian PM unveils unity team", BBC News Online,
15 March 2007, news.bbc.co.uk Back
56
HL Deb, 23 March 2007, col 1230 Back
57
HC Deb, 4 June 2007, col 244W Back
58
Alvaro De Soto, End of Mission Report, May 2007, p 21,
available at www.guardian.co.uk Back
59
Ibid, p 21 Back
60
"Hamas sweeps to election victory", BBC News Online,
26 January 2006, news.bbc.co.uk Back
61
Q 68 Back
62
Q 57 Back
63
"Declaration by the Presidency of the EU on the Formation
of a Palestinian Government of National Unity", 17 March
2007, www.eu2007.de/en/News/ Back
64
"Quartet Statement - Telephone Conference", March 21
2007, www.fco.gov.uk Back
65
"EU welcomes Palestinian unity government", Reuters,
17 March 2007 Back
66
"Quartet's Statement on the Middle East", 30 May 2007,
www.fco.gov.uk Back
67
Q 56 Back
68
"Fayyad tells EU new PA unity gov't needs over $1.3 billion
in aid", Reuters, 11 April 2007 Back
69
"Abbas appoints new Palestinian PM", BBC News Online,
15 June 2007, news.bbc.co.uk Back
70
Q 55 Back
71
Q 54 Back
72
Q 56 Back
73
"Diplomats fear US wants to arm Fatah for 'war on Hamas'",
The Times, 18 November 2006 Back
74
"Congress okays $59m in U.S. funds for Abbas' security forces",
Reuters, 10 April 2007 Back
75
"Where in the world is Fatah's strongman Dahlan?",
Jerusalem Post, 13 June 2007 Back
76
Alvaro de Soto, End of Mission Report, May 2007, p 21 Back
77
Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Situation
Report Gaza, 15 June 2007 Back
78
"Hamas declares victory", The Guardian, 15 June
2007 Back
79
"Hamas takes full control of Gaza", BBC News Online,
15 June 2007, news.bbc.co.uk Back
80
"Gaza: Armed Palestinian Groups Commit Grave Crimes",
13 June 2007, www.hrw.org Back
81
"Abbas bypasses Hamas in new cabinet", Financial
Times, 17 June 2007 Back
82
HC Deb, 18 June 2007, col 1075 Back
83
HC Deb, 18 June 2007, col 1077 Back
84
"U.S. Lifts Embargo To Help Abbas", Washington Post,
19 June 2007 Back
85
HC Deb, 18 June 2007, col 1081 Back
86
Ev 140 Back
87
HC Deb, 3 July 2007, col 808 Back
88
Q 8 Back
89
HC Deb, 5 July 2007, col 334WH Back
90
HC Deb, 3 July 2007, col 797 Back
91
Ev 138 Back
92
HC Deb, 5 July 2007, col 333WH Back
93
"Britain urges Hamas to help free journalist", The
Independent, 6 April 2007 Back
94
"UK envoy in Gaza Johnston talks", BBC News Online,
8 May 2007, news.bbc.co.uk Back
95
"BBC's Alan Johnston is released", BBC News Online,
4 July 2007, news.bbc.co.uk Back
96
"In quotes: Johnston release reactions", BBC News
Online, 4 July 2007, news.bbc.co.uk Back
97
Ev 138 Back
98
"'West Bank First': It Won't Work", Washington Post,
19 June 2007 Back
99
"Hamas hopeful after Alan's release", BBC News Online,
5 July 2007, news.bbc.co.uk Back
100
"Press Conference with Mr Blair and Mr Olmert", 12
June 2006, www.fco.gov.uk Back
101
Q 132 Back
102
Ev 139 Back
103
International Development Committee, Development Assistance
and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, para 17 Back
104
Ev 139 Back
105
"Ministers of Palestinian emergency government visit stranded
Palestinians in Egypt", International Herald Tribune,
8 July 2007 Back
106
"Economy in Gaza edges toward crisis", International
Herald Tribune, 9 July 2007 Back
107
HC Deb, 5 July 2007, cols 335-336WH Back
108
"Economy in Gaza edges toward crisis", International
Herald Tribune, 9 July 2007 Back
109
HC Deb, 5 July 2007, cols 340WH Back
110
"Economy in Gaza edges toward crisis", International
Herald Tribune, 9 July 2007 Back
111
Ev 140 Back
112
"Quartet Statement", June 27 2007, www.fco.gov.uk Back
113
Ev 138 Back
114
Ev 140 Back
115
For a summary of the process that led to the Roadmap for Peace
proposals and the role of the Quartet, see Foreign Affairs Committee,
Seventh Report of Session 2003-04, Foreign Policy Aspects of
the War against Terrorism, HC 444 Back
116
"A Performance-Based Roadmap to a Permanent Two-State Solution
to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict", 30 April 2003, www.state.gov Back
117
"EU Presidency Statement on the suicide bombing in Eilat
in Israel", 29 January 2007, www.eu2007.de Back
118
Q 64 Back
119
Q 64 Back
120
Alvaro de Soto, End of Mission Report, May 2007, pp 27-30,
available at www.guardian.co.uk Back
121
Ev 82, para 8 Back
122
Q 152 Back
123
Q 153 Back
124
Ev 97, para 41 Back
125
Q 157 Back
126
Oral evidence taken before the Foreign Affairs Committee on 19
June 2007, HC 166-ii, Q 178 Back
127
Q 8 Back
128
"Remarks After Meetings With Prime Minister Olmert and President
Abbas", 27 March 2007, www.state.gov Back
129
Q 158 Back
130
"Israel to release Fatah prisoners", BBC News Online,
25 June 2007, news.bbc.co.uk Back
131
"Statement by PM Ehud Olmert at the Sharm el-Sheikh Summit",
25 June 2007, www.mfa.gov.il Back
132
Ev 141 Back
133
"Bush Middle East plan starts to unravel", The Guardian,
18 July 2007 Back
134
Q 53 Back
135
"The Arab Peace Initiative 2002", available at www.al-bab.com Back
136
Q 163 Back
137
Q 162 Back
138
"Towards a Middle East Economic Roadmap", 19 June 2007,
www.hm-treasury.gov.uk Back
139
Ev 101, para 26 Back
140
For a summary of the Agreement on Movement and Access, see HC
(2005-06) 573, paras 207-216 Back
141
World Bank, Movement and Access Restrictions in the West Bank,
9 May 2007, p 2 Back
142
Ev 105 Back
143
Foreign Affairs Committee, Fourth Report of Session 2005-06,
Foreign Policy Aspects of the War against Terrorism, HC
573, para 214 Back
144
HC Deb, 23 May 2007, col 1315W Back
145
HC Deb, 5 July 2007, col 340WH Back