2 The OPTs: the background
Israeli-Palestinian
negotiations
11. The most recent Palestinian Authority legislative
election, in January 2006, left Hamas as the largest party.[ 5]
The Charter of Hamas calls for the destruction of Israel, although
this phrase was dropped in Hamas' manifesto prior to the 2006
elections. In May 2014 Abu Marzouk, deputy chairman of Hamas political
bureau, in an interview said that Hamas will not recognise Israel.[ 6]
Following the 2006 election a national unity government was formed
by Hamas and its rival, the previously-ruling Fatah.[ 7]
However, tensions between Fatah and Hamas spilled over into violent
conflict during June 2007, with Hamas taking control of the Gaza
Strip by force.[ 8] Indiscriminate
rocket attacks against Israeli civilians from the Gaza strip have
continued since. The Palestinian Authority (under the sole control
of Fatah) remained in power in the West Bank.[ 9]
On 23 April 2014, Fatah and Hamas announced the signing of a reconciliation
agreement. Under this agreement a coalition government is set
to be formed within weeks, with elections due to take place later
in the year. [ 10]
12. In response to Fatah's reconciliation with Hamas,
Israel suspended its direct, US-brokered talks with the Palestinians
indefinitely. The talks, which have been underway since August
2013,[ 11] seek to achieve
the end of the occupation by means of a two-state solution; the
UK had expressed its full support for the talks.[ 12]
13. The talks had already run into significant difficulties
before their eventual suspension on 23 April. Each side's participation
in the talks had been conditional on certain concessions made
by the other side: Israel agreed to release 104 Palestinian prisoners,
whilst the Palestinians agreed to refrain from upgrading their
membership of UN organisations.[ 13]
In early April Israel demanded the "review" of the peace
process, and cancelled the release of the final tranche of Palestinian
prisoners. This was a response to the Palestinian Authority's
decision to resume its campaign for membership of 15 UN organisations;
for the Palestinians, the decision to pursue the UN "route"
was itself a response to delays in the prisoners' release.
[ 14]
| Date | Event
|
| 1995 | Oslo II Accords signed; West Bank divided into Areas A, B and C.
|
| January 2006 | Palestinian Authority legislative election leaves Hamas as largest party
|
| March 2007 | Hamas and Fatah form national unity government in OPTs.
|
| June 2007 | Violent conflict between Hamas and Fatah; Hamas seizes Gaza; Israeli blockade of Gaza begins
|
| August 2013 | Israeli-Palestinian talks begin
|
| April 2014 | Hamas-Fatah reconciliation; Israeli-Palestinian talks suspended
|
Sources DFID, written evidence
14. In her evidence to us Cathy Ward, Deputy Head
of the Near East Department at the Foreign & Commonwealth
Office (FCO), remained cautiously optimistic that the talks might
restart. She said: "Our sense in the Foreign Office is that
we do not believe that all hope is lost. We believe that the US
does not think that either; those are the latest indications."[ 15]
15. Subsequently, the situation has deteriorated
with the murder of 3 teenage Israeli boys outside Hebron. This
was followed by the deaths of Palestinians, including the murder
of a teenage Palestinian in what has been reported as a revenge
attack.
16. One of the consequences of the suspension of
the peace talks is that it threatens to postpone the lifting of
restrictions on economic development in the West Bank. In response
to our questions about these restrictions, the Embassy of Israel
informed us
Many of these issues need to be addressed within
the framework of final-status peace negotiations, it is difficult
to address them in isolation and outside the broader context of
Israeli-Palestinian relations.[ 16]
17. We regret the recent suspension of peace talks
between the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
We note with sadness the terrible crimes recently committed by
both Palestinian and Israeli extremists. We understand the revulsion
which many Israelis feel for Hamas, whose charter calls for the
destruction of the Israeli state. We condemn the continuous rocket
attacks on Israel from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, which
show the seriousness of Israel's security concerns. Nevertheless,
in the long run there has to be agreement between Fatah and Hamas
which should result in peace talks between such a unified Palestinian
government and Israel. All parties to these peace talks, including
Hamas, must accept the Quartet's principles if there is to be
a two-state solution. Moreover, we believe that the reconciliation
increases the likelihood that Hamas will one day accept Israel's
right to exist. US Secretary of State John Kerry had shown extraordinary
leadership in bringing the parties to the table, and despite the
murders of late June and July we remain hopeful that the current
suspension will be temporary rather than permanent.
18. The suspension of the peace process should
not lead to the suspension of discussions to lift restrictions
on economic development in the OPTs. These cannot await a peace
agreement; there has not been a final peace settlement in over
40 years and there may not be one for many years. The stalling
of the peace process should not prevent the UK from encouraging
economic development in the OPTs and encouraging the removal of
those restrictions which are not justified on security grounds.
Indeed, we see it as in everyone's interest to increase prosperity
in the OPTs.
5 http://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/jan/26/israel1 Back
6 While in May 2014 Abu Marzouk, deputy chairman of Hamas political
bureau, in an interview said that Hamas will not recognise Israel,
he also said that 'at the same time, Hamas will not burden the
next government's success with hurdles and obstacles. On the contrary,
it will strive to market it internationally. We were encouraged
by the level of regional and international acceptance of the reconciliation.
Russia and the European Union endorsed it, and the American and
Israeli stances against it saw some marked retreat, which is encouraging'
(http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/05/06/recognizing-israel-a-red-line-for-hamas-says-abu-marzouk). Back
7 http://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/mar/18/israel Back
8 http://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/jun/15/israel4
Back
9 DFID, written evidence Back
10 http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/23/plo-hamas-agree-unity-pact-form-government24
April Back
11 http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/24/middle-east-israel-halts-peace-talks-palestinians24
April Back
12 DFID, written evidence Back
13 DFID, written evidence Back
14 http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/03/israel-palestine-prisoners-talks-reviewed
3 April Back
15 Q163 Back
16 Israel Embassy, written evidence Back
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