EU report: Israel policy in West Bank endangers two-state solution
Survey by European Heads of Mission in Jerusalem, Ramallah criticizes Israel for the ‘forced transfer’ Palestinians from Area C, defined by the Oslo Accords as those parts of the West Bank under full Israeli control.
By Amira Hass Tags: West Bank Palestinians Oslo Accords two state solution Middle East peace Israel settlementsThe European Union will direct its activities towards supporting the West Bank’s Palestinian population, a report by the European Heads of Mission in Jerusalem and Ramallah said on Thursday, over what the survey said was Israeli efforts to muscle out Palestinians from Area C.
Area C noted in the report is part of a division of the West Bank stipulated by the Oslo Accords: Area A, where the Palestinian Authority has full civilian and security control; Area B, which is those parts of the West Bank that come under Israeli security control and Palestinian civilian control; and Area C, which is territories under full Israeli civilian and security control.
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The Ramat Gilad outpost in the West Bank. |
| Photo by: Daniel Bar-On |
A newly approved internal report of European Heads of Mission, titled “Area C and Palestinian State Building,” cautioned that the chances for a two-state solution on 1967 borders will be lost if Israel does not change its policies in Area C.
"What’s special about this report is that we are all partners in it and agree on the wording of it," a European diplomat told Haaretz.
“The European governments hold a variety of stances regarding the situation – with Holland representing one very pro-Israel side, and Ireland on the other side. But everyone agreed on this documents,” the diplomat said, adding: “Israel always says it has both enemies and friends in Europe and we say: the friends think this way too about the situation in Area C.”
While copies of the original report were obtained by several journalists in the last few days, the final wording adopted in Brussels introduced changes which were not yet published.
In the factual section of the original, the report stated that Israeli policy in Area C “result in forced transfer of the native population.”
According to the report, 5.8% of the West Bank’s Palestinian population – about 150,000 people – lives on Area C, which constitutes 62 % of the West Bank.
In the Jordan Valley, 90% of which is Area C, is home to 56,000 Palestinians, 70% of which reside in Jericho, a city designated as Area A. The report also stated that anywhere between 200,000 and 320,000 Palestinians resided in the Jordan Valley before 1967.
It was in 2011 that the European Heads of Mission made a collective decision to follow the situation in Area C as opposed to an exclusive focus on East Jerusalem, which has been their custom in recent years. Consequently, the newly released report is the group’s first collective report concerning the Area C, one which the European diplomat said was borne out of a “sense of urgency and meant to represent that urgency.”
According to the diplomat, this is an urgency understood at the EU headquarters in Brussels.
Along with a discussion of the role of Israeli policymakers in shaping Area C realities, the report also urges European involvement through aid programs that would bolster Palestinian staying power in face of Israeli policies.
The manner and speed of the report’s recommendations is now up to Brussels, but another European diplomat estimated that these actions will be gradual and measures as opposed to drastic and immediate.
However, the document doesn’t direct criticism only at Israel but also at the Palestinian Authority, for failing to give enough attention to Area C in its national strategies.
"The Palestinian Reform and Development Plan 2008-2010 did not take area C into full consideration, nor gave recommendations on how to deal with the needs of its residents. Similarly, the new Palestinian National Development Plan 2011-2013 does not give clear guidance on how the Palestinians would like to deal with area C, seam zones and east Jerusalem,” the EU report said.
Despite this criticism of PA policies, the report does indicate that the bi-annual national plan composed by Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad included infrastructure-development projects in Area C.
Many of those ventures never came to fruition, despite efforts by Quartet and EU officials, among others, as a result of what the report said was Israeli efforts to block them.
More from Amira Hass:
In West Bank, buying land isn't always what it seems
Not even the word of Israeli soldiers is enough to confirm Palestinian testimony
On anniversary of Gaza war, we will remember IDF soldiers who destroyed Palestinian families
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Should the EU cancel its trade agreement with Israel, the country will go bankrupt.
Shred them and put them in the compost heap where they belong.
It is long dead and has started to stink.
European Heads should worry about themselves and other parts of the world instead of israel
it's time for the terrorist wing to be removed from the equation and palestinians would be wise to vote accordingly, because as long as they keep electing genocidal murderers there is no way their state will ever become a reality
We know that the EU has an anti-Israeli agenda. Yet there are Israeli's who still believe that Israel is treated in a fair manner.
Why should there be a report from the EU that makes Israel look good when compared with the palestinians? Israel is the driving force of this conflict. The palestinians are the underdogs.
.......there is NOTHING positive in or about israel for a long,long time,and it looks like it is going to get worse !
Not everything is anti-isreali. These are the truths and crimes that are committed by Isreal. When they are brought to light, they are not anti-anything, just FACTS. If you (isrealis) dont like being criticized, try being nicer to the Palestinians.
establishled on Israeli land.
The coutntry and its right wing ideologues are desperate. Zionism is not sustainable and they know that. Israel is clearly not interested in a two state solution. Any such claims on its part is nothing more than empty air directed to the west to satisfy their mealy criticisms of Israel's violations of international law and previous agreements. Israel is desperate and is panicking because the see the writing on the demographic wall. Racism and apartheid are the only things propping up this regime, nothing else and things for the Palestinian citizens living in Israel and Palestinians living under occupation will only get worse before they get better and Israel will be so isolated that their hypocricy and crass racism, sanctioned by their courts, will be internationally recognised and the international community will have to take action against the regime.
Irrelevant. But what do all those countries have in common? Why they ratified the Statute of Rome. Which means they are bound by the rulings of the ICC. Which refers to the illegal settlements as a war crime. Ditto for the ongoing land theft and ethnic cleansing. Within months the ICC will have Israel under a microscope. That country's war criminals should be very worried for payback time is just around the corner.
See how irrevelant the EU CAN BE.
Isn't that illegal enough to warrant millitary action, let alone sanctions? When such 'forced transfers' have occured in the recent past, such as Bosnia and Kosovo, we have gone to war to end it. Surely Europe can afford to at least end the preferential trade agreements! Israel supporters here constantly refer to Europe's ailing economies, but collectively we still have the largest in the world...
perpetual incitement of hatered and violence from palestinian educatinal and home environments.... As it is now the only solution is to transfer most of arabs living in Israel elsewhere...
"Transfer" is just a euphemism for "ethnic cleansing."
Is that like population relocation centers? What if the Israeli-Arab CITIZENS don't want to leave?
people"
you must be for giving them equal political and economic rights. Otherwise, what exactly are you for?
Let it be One State Solution! Let us be free from religious and ethnic prejudice, one secular and democratic state where equal rights for everyone and the right of return for both jews and Palestinians are guaranteed..This is the most viable solution prefer to live under a progressive secular jewish president who believes in equality and social justice for all rather than living under reactionary Palestinian.
this "progressive secular jewish president?" Not in Israel! Maybe you can import one from New York.
Just as the palestinians are an invented people (Loh Am), so is the West Bank an invented name. IT IS JUDEA AND SAMARIA.
Maybe the EU wants to scold the pals for REFUSING to sit down to talks? you think the EU could maybe do that for once??????
A common nonsensical comment. Pray tell exactly what is there to negotiate?
We need action not words
talks much, but does little. How about some sanctions against the wrong-doers.
This has been going on for a long time already.
They are not wrong-doers. They are g-d´s chosen super race,please understand!
Sanctions against Iran often hurt those, who are not responsible or voting for the regime. Same sanctions against Israel will hit those, who supported the terror against the Palestinian Nation
That's what Israel had in mind. I thought that everybody knew this. The good news is that there will never be enough settlers or settlements in the west bank that it would become impossible to evacuate them all. The ultimate withdrawal merely becomes more difficult as Israel adds more settlers.
Equal civil rights and responsibilities regardless of race, religion, or national origin, desegregated public schools for all, one person one vote, equal access to opportunities, equal mobility. Enough is enough!