The EU is no less biassed than the U.S. in negotiating peace. Why is it that the Palestinians must do what the Israelis refuse to do? When has Israel recognised the state of Palestine, past agreements, or renounced violence? Never. Israel has even rejected the road map.
I can’t pretend to know the specifics of backroom deals that so-called civilised governments make and keep with Israel. I know that the public record, such as the EU-Israel Association Agreement, is appalling enough.
Israel will never meet any agreement’s calls specific to human rights and has no fear that its non-compliance will mean the chopping block for its trade status and/or special relationships, none more special than the services it provides in other territorial conflicts that are engineered and fuelled by resource-hungry powers, such as those in Africa and Latin America. Israel is an expert in playing one side against the other.
Israel is occupying a catbird seat, protected by its undeclared nuclear arsenal and trading on its technological prowess (.pdf), fortified by unscrupulous financiers, unregulated means and the fact that “People don’t mix conflict with business.”
Israel is under no pressure to end the occupation. The U.S., EU, Russia and China agreeing to apply that pressure is unlikely. The Palestinians are disposable to all.
UN report: “Israel violated all articles of Crossings agreement”
Saed Bannoura – IMEMC & Agencies – 30 November 2006
The United Nations office for Human Affairs in the West Bank published a report on Thursday morning accusing Israel of violating every article of the Crossings agreements, and stated that Israel imposed strict siege and closure on the Palestinian people.
The report, marking one year since the agreement was reached, stated that border crossings remained closed most of the year.
Also, the report revealed that the closure caused a significant increase in unemployment in the Gaza Strip since the level jumped from 33.1% in 2005 to 41.8% in 2006.
The percentage of closures reached 86% since Palestinian resistance groups captured the Israeli corporal Gilad Shalit in June 25.
Only 12 trucks per day managed to cross the Karni Trade Crossing since mid January 2006, while Israel vowed to allow 400 trucks to cross per day before the end of the year.
In the West Bank, Israel violated the article that states that Israel should ease the suffering of the residents in the West Bank by easing restrictions on their movement and the movements of good.
It also violated the article regarding allowing freedom of movement between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Number of roadblocks increased by 44%, and movement between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip is totally blocked, the report added, the West Bank is currently divided in 10 isolated sections.
Israel also violated its own vow to open a safe passage between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and its vows to allow the operation of Gaza naval and ground ports.
The agricultural sector suffered a 30 Million US Dollar loss this year, the shelling and bulldozing of agricultural hothouses and barracks caused additional 6 Million US Dollar losses, and 4200 employee in the agricultural sector are jobless.
The Eretz Border Crossing between the Gaza Strip and Israel had been closed since eight months.
EU diplomat: Olmert refused European force to oversee ceasefire
Ronny Sofer, YNet, 30 November 2006
According to a senior European diplomat, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that Israel was not interested in a European force to uphold the ceasefire with Palestinians at a meeting Tuesday with European Union ambassadors in Herzliya.
“We are not interested in establishing a multinational force UNIFIL style to oversee the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Besides, if we allow such a force you would curse us. The situation in Gaza is so mixed up and complicated that such a force would not be effective there,” Olmert said.
The diplomatic source also told Israeli diplomatic correspondents Thursday that Olmert warned of the possibility of a severe terrorist attack or Qassam firing which could cause much harm and may bring an end to the Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire.
The diplomat also said that the European Union stood behind the three Quartet conditions which included recognizing Israel, renouncing terror, and acknowledging past agreements between Israel and Palestinians.
He explained, “None of the European ambassadors present at the meeting with Olmert asked for flexibility of those conditions. As I understand it, the issue is now in the hands of Abu Mazen (Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas) if he establishes this government, who would serve in it and what it would do.”