Onderstaande maatregelen en projecten zijn natuurlijk mooi en laten zien dat er, ja, echt waar, ook weleens positieve dingen gebeuren en dat er op verschillende gebieden wordt samengewerkt. Sommige maatregelen zijn al eerder genomen en worden nu nog eens genoemd zodat het er allemaal bij elkaar extra fraai uitziet, en sommige dingen klinken wellicht mooier dan ze zijn: hoeveel roadblocks en checkpoints zijn er in totaal, en hoeveel zijn er wellicht ook weer bijgekomen?
Wat telt, is of het voor Palestijnen makkelijker is geworden om van A naar B te reizen. Het belastinggeld dat Israël voor de Palestijnse Autoriteit int was ingehouden omdat Hamas het anders zou gebruiken om terroristische activiteiten te financieren en een nieuwe Executive Force op te bouwen (die Fatah uit de Gazastrook heeft gegooid). Nu Hamas niet meer in de officiële Palestijnse regering zit, is het niet meer dan logisch dat Israël het geld alsnog uitbetaalt. De regering overschat haar verdiensten een beetje met de volgende verklaring:
It is Israel's hope that these measure, and others that will be taken in the near future, will help create and support an atmosphere conducive to progress in the renewed peace-making process - both in the negotiating room and in Palestinian public sentiment.
It is Israel's hope that these measure, and others that will be taken in the near future, will help create and support an atmosphere conducive to progress in the renewed peace-making process - both in the negotiating room and in Palestinian public sentiment.
Het is uiteraard goed te zien dat Israël daadwerkelijk maatregelen heeft getroffen om de Palestijnen tegemoet te komen. Om een tegenwicht te bieden tegen de vele negatieve zaken zijn helaas drastischere maatregelen nodig, maatregelen die in de huidige omstandigheden helaas niet zonder risico zijn, al zou een paar buitenposten ontruimen geen probleem mogen zijn.
Men zou vooral ook excessen harder aan moeten pakken: kolonisten die Palestijnen met stenen bekogelen en verhinderen dat ze kunnen oogsten, soldaten die Palestijnen in elkaar slaan bij de checkpoints, grenspolitie die hun handen wel erg los hebben zitten.
Ratna
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MFA Newsletter Wednesday, 14 November, 2007
Behind the Headlines: Israeli Confidence Building Measures towards the Palestinians
Israel believes that the new Palestinian Government provides a renewed opportunity to move forward in the peace process toward the realization of the two-state vision. It is in this spirit that Israel has recently taken practical steps to assist the Palestinian government in creating a better environment for progress.
Ratna
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MFA Newsletter Wednesday, 14 November, 2007
Behind the Headlines: Israeli Confidence Building Measures towards the Palestinians
Israel believes that the new Palestinian Government provides a renewed opportunity to move forward in the peace process toward the realization of the two-state vision. It is in this spirit that Israel has recently taken practical steps to assist the Palestinian government in creating a better environment for progress.
Israel believes that the new Palestinian Government - established after the takeover of Gaza by Hamas terrorists in June 2007 - provides a renewed opportunity to move forward in the peace process toward the realization of the two-state vision. It is in this spirit that Israel has recently taken practical steps to assist the Palestinian government, led by President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, in creating a better environment for progress. The following is a brief list of some of the confidence building measure recently taken by Israel towards this end:
1. Releasing Withheld Tax and Customs Revenues - About 1 Billion NIS (approx. $250 million) have already been transferred to the PA, and the remainder of the revenues, another 1 Billion NIS, will be transferred by the end of the year. Israel and the PA have established a mutually acceptable mechanism for transferring and monitoring these funds, to prevent their use by terrorist organizations.
2. Promoting Palestinian Development:
- Promotion of Sewage Project with World Bank in Gaza, now underway in Beit Lahia, and serving the Northern Gaza strip
- MASHAV Projects - More than 230 Palestinian Trainees in such fields as Public Health, Small Business, Agriculture, Import/Export, Educational Planning and Empowerment of Women and Youth
3. Security-related Measures:
- Easing of Movement - 25 roadblocks and checkpoints were removed in the West Bank
- Amnesty of Wanted Terrorists - About 170 wanted Fatah terrorists were offered amnesty in exchange for renunciation of terrorism and surrendering of weapons.
- Prisoner Release - About 350 prisoners were released in two phases (20 July and 1 October) with a third phase now being contemplated.
- Provisions for PA Security Forces - Israel recently consented to the transfer of supplies and equipment to the PA Security Forces, above and beyond that called for in the Israel-Palestinian agreements.
- Palestinian Security Force Deployment - PA security forces, with Israel's consent, have just been redeployed in Nablus (the largest West Bank city), and other cities are being considered for further redeployments.
4. Re-convening the Bilateral Committees established in the Oslo Accords, in order to address the ongoing needs of the Palestinian Authority:
- Health, Tourism and Agriculture Committees already working
- Legal Committee and Joint Economic Committee (established by the Paris Accord) to begin working soon
5. Expanding Economic Cooperation:
- Meetings of Business Community Leaders - Lately Israel has facilitated and supported several meetings between Israeli and Palestinian business community which have taken place under various non-governmental auspices. For example, the Israeli Manufactures Association has conducted a high level forum with Palestinian counterparts, and the Portland Fund has initiated the establishment of an Israeli-Palestinian Chamber of Commerce.
- Promotion of Economic Projects with International Partners - Turkey's Industrial Zone Project in Tarqumieh and Japan's 'Corridor of Peace' Project in Jericho are two such projects
It is Israel's hope that these measure, and others that will be taken in the near future, will help create and support an atmosphere conducive to progress in the renewed peace-making process - both in the negotiating room and in Palestinian public sentiment.
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IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis
Website: www.imra.org.il
1. Releasing Withheld Tax and Customs Revenues - About 1 Billion NIS (approx. $250 million) have already been transferred to the PA, and the remainder of the revenues, another 1 Billion NIS, will be transferred by the end of the year. Israel and the PA have established a mutually acceptable mechanism for transferring and monitoring these funds, to prevent their use by terrorist organizations.
2. Promoting Palestinian Development:
- Promotion of Sewage Project with World Bank in Gaza, now underway in Beit Lahia, and serving the Northern Gaza strip
- MASHAV Projects - More than 230 Palestinian Trainees in such fields as Public Health, Small Business, Agriculture, Import/Export, Educational Planning and Empowerment of Women and Youth
3. Security-related Measures:
- Easing of Movement - 25 roadblocks and checkpoints were removed in the West Bank
- Amnesty of Wanted Terrorists - About 170 wanted Fatah terrorists were offered amnesty in exchange for renunciation of terrorism and surrendering of weapons.
- Prisoner Release - About 350 prisoners were released in two phases (20 July and 1 October) with a third phase now being contemplated.
- Provisions for PA Security Forces - Israel recently consented to the transfer of supplies and equipment to the PA Security Forces, above and beyond that called for in the Israel-Palestinian agreements.
- Palestinian Security Force Deployment - PA security forces, with Israel's consent, have just been redeployed in Nablus (the largest West Bank city), and other cities are being considered for further redeployments.
4. Re-convening the Bilateral Committees established in the Oslo Accords, in order to address the ongoing needs of the Palestinian Authority:
- Health, Tourism and Agriculture Committees already working
- Legal Committee and Joint Economic Committee (established by the Paris Accord) to begin working soon
5. Expanding Economic Cooperation:
- Meetings of Business Community Leaders - Lately Israel has facilitated and supported several meetings between Israeli and Palestinian business community which have taken place under various non-governmental auspices. For example, the Israeli Manufactures Association has conducted a high level forum with Palestinian counterparts, and the Portland Fund has initiated the establishment of an Israeli-Palestinian Chamber of Commerce.
- Promotion of Economic Projects with International Partners - Turkey's Industrial Zone Project in Tarqumieh and Japan's 'Corridor of Peace' Project in Jericho are two such projects
It is Israel's hope that these measure, and others that will be taken in the near future, will help create and support an atmosphere conducive to progress in the renewed peace-making process - both in the negotiating room and in Palestinian public sentiment.
--------------------------------------------
IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis
Website: www.imra.org.il
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