Memorandum submitted by Britain Israel
Communications and Research Centre (BICOM)
BICOM (Britain Israel Communications and Research
Centre) is an independent organisation devoted to creating a better
understanding of Israel in the UK.
We are a professional group portraying the plethora
of political, cultural, scientific and technological voices emanating
from the State of Israel. Israel is a diverse country with many
faces and opinions. Likewise, BICOM works with opinion formers
to promote the different sections of Israeli life and society,
not just that of the Israeli government.
We have successfully built relationships with
British journalists, broadcasters, think tanks, academics and
opinion formers in a very short amount of time and we look forward
to maintaining and strengthening those relationships in the future.
SYNOPSIS
The key points that shall be addressed in the
following text are:
— Responsibility for the current economic
situation in the Palestinian Territories lies directly with Hamas.
— It is the Palestinian Authority's
abuse of aid, as apposed to a lack of aid from the international
community that is causing the current humanitarian situation in
the Palestinian Territories.
— Hamas are a terrorist organisation
committed to the destruction of the state of Israel, are not a
partner for peace and cannot be trusted.
— The solution to the current humanitarian
situation rests in the hands of the elected Hamas administration
through its acknowledgement of the State of Israel.
RECOMMENDATIONS
— The UK government is urged to press
the Hamas administration to acknowledge the State of Israel and
the peace process.
— The UK government is encouraged to
make it clear that the present humanitarian situation in the Palestinian
territories is a direct result of Hamas' current policy of refusing
to acknowledge the state of Israel.
— The UK government is urged to push
for a return to peace talks, through the implementation of the
Roadmap.
— The UK government is encouraged to
work with the international community, continuing to provide humanitarian
assistance through the Quartets Temporary International Mechanism
(TIM), thus ensuring that aid packages go directly to those who
require them.
The implications of the Hamas electoral victory
on the Palestinian Territories
1. The victory of Hamas, standing in its
first political election has had serious, far-reaching consequences
on the social and economic development of the Palestinian territories.
Hamas is a proscribed Islamist terror organisation, classified
as such by the British government and continually refuses to acknowledge
the existence of the State of Israel. As a result, the Quartet,
incorporating the United Nations, United States, European Union
and Russian Federation have all halted financial aid to the Palestinian
Authority. In accordance with this policy, and with the agreement
of the Quartet, the Israeli government has halted the collection
of VAT revenues previously collected on behalf of the Palestinian
Authority. The conditions upon which the lifting of the current
freeze on aid rest have been clearly voiced by the overwhelming
majority of the international community, namely the acceptance
of the State of Israel and a desire to work towards a return to
the peace process, in the form of the Roadmap. Hamas' continual
refusal to act on the demand made of it by the international community
is further proof of its utter disregard for the needs of its people
and the prospect of peace in the region. In short, it is yet another
concrete confirmation of the terror organisation classification.
2. In May 2006, Israel offered to transfer
NIS 50 million via international aid organisations to alleviate
what the PA said was a shortage of medicines. However, the PA
insisted that this money be made available directly to it in cash
and Israel refused, arguing that such monies might be diverted
to finance terrorism. No money was transferred. [94]This
event clearly exposes the true priorities of the Hamas government.
Despite the woeful condition the population they are responsible
for find itself, Hamas is still willing to reject offers of direct
aid. A government dedicated to fulfilling the needs of its civilians
would surely accept much-needed medical supplies. Instead, they
rejected the offer of their own request, demanding currency. Bearing
in mind the track record of corruption within the Palestinian
Authority (totalling over $700 million in squandered aid through
corruption according to an internal PA enquiry[95]),
as well as Hamas' record on channelling aid money into terrorism,
their demand for money over medicine is clearly another attempt
to fund their terror activities, at the expense of their suffering
population, the citizens they pledged to serve in 25 January Palestinian
elections.
3. The United States 2006 aid package earmarked
for Palestine totals $234 million. The EU through the common EU
budget and from member states, contributes the single largest
sum of aid, a package totalling $612 million. These donations,
as well as Israel's VAT revenues on behalf of the Palestinians
and the contributions of others contribute to a total around $1
billion per annum. This equates to a per capita subvention of
approximately $300 per person per year. This is by far the largest
aid sum awarded to any country. (By comparison, the poorest countries
of Africa receive a maximum subvention of $25 per capita per annum.)
Furthermore, the Palestinians benefit from an additional $340
million annual donation from the UNRWA (United Nations Relief
and Works Agency) established in 1952 in order to aid Palestinian
refugees. The total aid package available to the Palestinian Authority
rivals that of the EU to Ireland, an initiative credited with
catalysing one of the largest economic recoveries of the modern
era. In order to gain access to this aid money, Hamas simply has
to recognise the State of Israel and demonstrate a desire for
peace. The very nature of their ideology, one of armed struggle
against Israel through terrorist activities means that this much-needed
aid is unlikely to be released to an increasingly needy Palestinian
population in the near future.
4. Israel has demonstrated in the past that
it has no intention of cancelling money transfers, as demonstrated
in 2002, during the height of the second intifada. Deeming the
PA to be in violation of the Oslo Agreements, Israel suspended
financial transfers. However, the money was placed in escrow and
eventually back-paid in full after negotiations between Condoleezza
Rice, Prime Minister Abbas and then finance minister Salaam Fayad.
Israel has assured that through the conduit of Mahmoud Abbas,
such arrangements would repeated in the future, yet have categorically
stated that no such agreement would be made with the Hamas administration.
CONCLUSION
It is clear to see that the largest barriers
to Palestinian development remain their own government. Hamas'
corruption, terrorist ideology and refusal to accept international
demands to recognise Israel have cost the Palestinian population
dear. The continual offers of aid for acknowledgement have fallen
on deaf ears, culminating in a break down of society within the
Territories, increased poverty and the beginnings of a serious
humanitarian situation. The Hamas government has demonstrated
that it is not a partner for peace, and therefore continues to
isolate its own population from much needed aid.
RECOMMENDATIONS
— The UK government is urged to press
the Hamas administration to acknowledge the State of Israel and
the peace process.
— The UK government is encouraged to
make it clear that the present humanitarian situation in the Palestinian
territories is a direct result of Hamas' current policy of refusing
to acknowledge the state of Israel.
— The UK government is urged to push
for a return to peace talks, through the implementation of the
Roadmap.
— The UK government is encouraged to
work with the international community, continuing to provide humanitarian
assistance through the Quartet's Temporary International Mechanism
(TIM), thus ensuring that aid packages go directly to those who
require them.
October 2006
94 David Horovitz, Ham as Demands Tax Money
[Jerusalem Post: 08/06/06]. Back
95
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