Background and acknowledgements
1. We published our Report on Development Assistance
in the Occupied Palestinian Territories at the end of January
2007.[1] Eighteen months
later many of our conclusions and recommendations remain valid,
although some have been overtaken by events. In particular, the
creation and subsequent dissolution of the National Unity Government
led to the takeover of Gaza by Hamas in June 2007. This was followed
by the establishment of an emergency government in the West Bank
by President Mahmoud Abbas. In these new circumstances we decided
to look again at the subject. We have been told that the humanitarian
situation in Gaza is "shocking and shameful".[2]
We also felt that the policy of isolating Hamas had produced precisely
the negative political outcomes we anticipated in our previous
report.
2. We announced this follow-up inquiry in February
2008 intending to produce a report soon afterwards. However fitting
key witnesses into our programme extended our inquiry longer than
we originally anticipated. We received written evidence from 18
organisations and individuals, many of them located in the region.
We held three formal evidence sessions in Parliament including
one by video-link with the Director of Operations, UN Relief and
Works Agency (UNRWA) in Gaza, John Ging. We also took oral evidence
from the Secretary of State for International Development, Rt
Hon Douglas Alexander MP, the Middle East Quartet Representative,
Rt Hon Tony Blair, Oxfam GB and the Portland Trust. In addition,
we had a private discussion with the Negotiations Support Unit
(NSU). We are grateful to all those who contributed to our inquiry.
3. The Report begins with an assessment of the humanitarian
situation in Gaza. Chapter 2 looks at the prospects for development
in the West Bank and Gaza. Chapter 3 examines progress in the
Middle East Peace Process since the Annapolis conference.
1 International Development Committee, Fourth Report
of Session 2006-07, Development Assistance and the Occupied
Palestinian Territories, HC 114 Back
2
Ev 114 Back
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