Background and acknowledgements
The previous International Development Committee
published a report on development assistance and the Occupied
Palestinian Territories (OPTs) in 2004.[1]
Most of their findings remain relevant. However, since the Hamas
election victory in January 2006 the development situation in
the OPTs has deteriorated significantly. In July we announced
our intention to undertake a new inquiry. The aims of the inquiry
were to examine the implications of the Hamas victory,
the effectiveness of
the international community's response and the contribution which
development assistance can make in terms of supporting political
solutions to the conflict.
We began taking evidence in October and have held
four oral evidence sessions. We also received written evidence
and background papers from 39 organisations and individuals from
the UK, the OPTs and Israel. The Committee visited the OPTs and
Israel at the beginning of November.
We are grateful to all those who gave evidence to
the inquiry including the Department for International Development
and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the UN Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the European Commission
External Relations Directorate, Christian Aid, Oxfam, Quaker Peace
and Social Witness and the Board of Deputies of British Jews.
We would also like to thank all those individuals and organisations
in the OPTs and Israel who met with us on our visit and helped
us to understand the situation on the ground. Our itinerary is
included as an Annex to the report.
1 Second Report of the International Development Committee,
Session 2003-4, Development Assistance and the Occupied Palestinian
Territories, HC 230-I. Back
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