Israel fights to keep Palestinians from sabotaging its admittance into OECD
PA Foreign Minister sent letter to OECD countries calling to delay the vote because 'Israel infringes on Palestinians' human rights, violates OECD values.'
By Barak Ravid Tags: Israel news Palestinians Middle East peaceIsrael is waging a last-ditch diplomatic fight in an effort to keep the Palestinian Authority from undermining the country's bid for membership in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
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OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem in January. |
| Photo by: Reuters |
Despite the Palestinian campaign, the Foreign Ministry expects the OECD Council to accept Israel as a member during its meeting at 5 P.M. on Monday.
Ministry officials said that over the last few days, the Palestinians have intensified their efforts to keep Israel out of the organization.
All new members require the approval of all 31 members.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki has sent a letter to all the foreign ministers of the OECD countries calling for the vote to be delayed because Israel infringes on Palestinians' human rights and therefore violates OECD values, he said.
Israel says Palestinian Prime Minister Salem Fayyad called many of the leaders of OECD countries over the past day to argue against Israel's acceptance. One of the Palestinian arguments is that Israel provided false financial data by not separating out the data related to the settlements.
"Fayyad's efforts to thwart Israel's participation in the organization are extremely grave, and even more so during a time when Israel wants to begin proximity talks in order to reach an agreement and a reconciliation between the nations," said Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, who has been involved in efforts to get Israel accepted.
For its part, Israel has launched a campaign of its own to bolster support for its membership. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to several other world leaders on the phone and requested their support and assistance.
Israeli officials say acceptance would be an important stamp of approval for the country's economy, boosting its credit rating and strengthening ties with foreign investors.
Three OECD members - Switzerland, Ireland and Norway - have expressed reservations about Israel's membership. They have focused on the settlements, which Israel does not treat as a separate economic entity.
The unanimity rule means that Israel would not be allowed to join the OECD for now if any of those countries were to vote against it. That, in turn, has meant a lot of anxiety in Jerusalem, notwithstanding the reassurances. Under the pressure of potential rejection, the Foreign Ministry ordered its personnel to keep a low profile and refrain from speaking to the media.
"There is a concern that if we speak to the press, it's liable to cause damage to the election results," a ministry official said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Spain and Portugal, then one-party dictatorships, were admitted in 1961 and human rights violations by Turkey, or by Greece during the military junta era, or Australian and New Zealander treatment of minorities, didn't bring expulsion. By comparison, Israeli restrictions on Palestinians pale into insignificance. Definitely disproportionate reactions from some posters.
The Falsastinians try to turn every event in the world into a vehicle for their agenda, backed by libero-fascist hypocrites.
Really threaten the livelihood of everybody . And yet one discusses eligibility of Israel instead . .Yet another diversion by the scheming pals
to preach about the threat to everyones livlihood, when you're advocating attacking Iran and thus cutting of the greater percentage of the Worlds oil supply via the straits of Hormuz?
,thus putting usall in perpetual bondage
if Obama is an honest broker he will denounce this provocation from the Palestinians.
In 62 years Israel build a nation and an economy . What did the Palestinians , with all the Oil $ backing , build in that period?
Why should the same people who think Israel should not join, not demand the USA, UK, etc to be removed from the OECD for invading Iraq and Afghanistan? Interesting to hear their twisted responses.
Was calling for a Preemptive attack on Iraq prior to the Iraqi invasion making claims of WMD's. He was here in the USA making speeches about how dangerous they were. Much like hes trying to do now with Iran. Go look at his speech on his home page brainless. If ignorance is bliss, you must be in heaven.
The countries you mentioned have a clear UN mandate for their "occupation" of Afghanistan. Can you show me Israels UN mandate for the occupation of the West Bank....??? Sorry, but I'm afraid there is nothing like that around....
I think that is a SPLENDID suggestion for Lieberman to take up, and I know that Lieberman is juuuuuust the man for the job. Oh, yes, indeedie, that attitude will go down a real treat...
If nothing else, the OECD's activities over the last couple years have demonstrated that the organization's commitment to human rights is purely nominal, and its ethical guidelines entirely non-binding. If Korea was able to dismiss the complaints lodged against participants in the Shwe project in Burma with total impunity, issuing Afrimex a list of recommendations to improve its business practices passed as an adequate response by the UK National Contact Point to evidence that the company was directly responsible for perpetuating bloodshed in the Congo, and if the US occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan continue to pass without comment, I see no reason why either Israel's illegal occupation and annexation of Palestinian land or the terror and destruction it routinely visits on the Palestinians should raise the ire of an organization with such a respectable reputation. While I sympathize with the advocate of human rights who oppose Israel's accession and would rather not see it happen, the OECD has yet to offer any indication that it is in the least concerned about the war crimes or other violations of international law Israel has committed in the Palestinian territories.
Vacuous clichés, zero substance. As usual from one-sided hacks.
should be granted if the peace talks work.
Things would always be better for Israel if its Foreign Ministry and, especially, its Foreign Minister would remain silent.
For Israel to be admitted to the OECD it has to have shown that it has high ethical business dealings with it neighbours. It should not be allowed entry under any circumstances until the Palestinians have their own viable economic state.
If that's the case, all the Palestinians have to do is continue rejecting a state of their own. How many offers are they going to reject before you realize that penalizing Israel is useless, and unethical on its own merit?
The longer they can prevent Israel's entry, the higher Israel is likely to raise what it is willing to offer them to get their agreement.
The Palestinians must take responsibility for not having their own state, which they declined numerous times. What if Palestinian actions thwart all attempts by Israel and the outside world to make a Palestinian state viable? Should Israel be held accountable for Palestinian leaders stealing money? This makes no sense, Maggie.
Israel must adhere to International Law. If it refuses to be accountable for the abusive occupation of Palestine, then there is no hope of ending it.
This is an old argument, everything should wait until progress is made in the peace process, so should the human rights of Palestinians be disregarded until this happens? is this your argument? if that is the case, Palestinians will be dehumanized for decades to come. I personally can't live with that, can you?