The following is the text of a written report being submitted to the 53rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council by the Next Century Foundation, which is in Consultative Status with the UN:
Read the written statement here.
The Next Century Foundation stresses the urgent need for dialogue between the government of the State of Israel and the Palestinian Authority to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East based on a two-state solution. Violence will continue without a peace agreement, as recent events in Gaza and the West Bank have shown. The time for meaningful discourse is now.
Aqaba Summit
The most recent peace discussions took place in Aqaba, in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on 26th January and in Sharm el-Sheikh, in the Egyptian Arab Republic on 19th March 2023. The United States of America, Jordan, and Egypt are to be commended for organising and hosting these summits, further meetings should be held. This Foundation would like to see the implementation of the pledges in the joint communique following the Aqaba summit, despite the multiple obstacles to a fair peace process at this stage, including a lack of confidence in the Palestinian Authority, Israel’s current policies and the frequent clashes between Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Israel.
Strategies for Cooperation
During its years of existence, the Palestinian Authority has struggled to control and unite the Palestinian territory it theoretically administers, undermining chances of meaningful peace negotiations with Israel. A strong, cohesive, and vocal Palestinian leadership is needed to serve as a credible representative of Palestine. Many Palestinians are disaffected and resigned to the status quo, and some hold the Palestinian Authority responsible for Israel’s continued presence in Palestinian territories. It is time for Palestinian voices to be heard, yet the weakness and passivity of the Palestinian Authority remains an obstacle to that endeavour. To create a credible voice in support of Palestinian rights, the revitalisation and reform of the Palestinian Authority’s structure is necessary. This includes the strengthening of Palestine’s economy and the institutions that underpin Palestine such as the police, the media, and civil society, and the holding of elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council and the Presidency.
The Next Century Foundation urges the Palestinian Authority to commit to peace talks with Israel regardless of Israel’s unilateral policy of settlement construction. Israel has used Palestine’s refusal to engage in peace talks while settlement expansion continues as an excuse to not return to the negotiating table. Rather than pressuring Israel to cease its unilateral action, this has indefinitely postponed peace discussions, undermining the Palestinian cause.
Another major obstacle to the realisation of Palestinian aspirations is disunity between those representing the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank respectively. Gaza is integral to a future Palestinian State. Without a comprehensive restructuring of the Palestinian Authority’s leadership and administration and a corresponding effort from Hamas, there is little hope of rapprochement between the two parties.
Of particular concern is the increasing normalisation of Israel’s occupation of a large proportion of the West Bank. This increases tension and inspires further escalation, fostering a climate of fear and mistrust amongst civilians in both Israel and Palestine. Israel should offer a hand of friendship to the Palestinian factions rather than xenophobia, and respect the rights and freedoms of Palestinians. Jerusalem’s holy sites should be treated with due regard and civility by both parties, rather than being weaponised through political manoeuvrings. Israeli, Palestinian and international civil society could have a major role in reducing tension between the two peoples. The encouragement of constructive people-to-people activity would help resolve the conflict and foster a two-state solution.
Two-State Solution
The Next Century Foundation calls upon the international community to renew its interest in the Middle East Peace Process. While the Russia-Ukraine conflict understandably remains a key foreign policy priority, the dangers inherent in the continuing Israel-Palestine conflict should not be ignored. The tendency towards a single-focus foreign policy in the West has meant that few concrete steps have been made towards Israel-Palestine peace in recent years, despite the rapidly worsening situation on the ground. Any consequent increase in violence from both sides could have severe repercussions for the region and Europe. The most successful initiatives have occurred when one country has stepped up to the mark and taken the lead in mediating peace between Israel and Palestine. This has either been through multilateral talks, such as the Madrid Peace Conference of October 1991 or bilateral discussions such as those that led to the Oslo Accords of July 1993. Other notable leaps forward were The Clinton Parameters of 2001, and the Saudi-brokered Arab Peace Initiative of March 2002, endorsed at the time by all 22 members of the Arab League and reaffirmed at subsequent summits and supported by the 57-member Islamic Cooperation Organisation meeting in Tehran in 2003. Other remarkable achievements include the Israel-Palestine second track Geneva Initiative, launched in Switzerland in December 2003 and the Olmert-Abbas talks of 2008. These have all laid out credible plans for an effective peace process.
Israel’s refusal to accept a clear border remains a prominent issue. To this day, Israel continues to capitalise on the passivity of the Palestinian Authority, the absence of pressure from the international community, as well as the lack of a clear internationally backed strategy for peace. As long as this continues, Israel’s policy of settlement expansion in the West Bank is unlikely to change. This Foundation asks the international community to use its power and influence to urge the leaders of Palestine and Israel to come to the negotiating table and to find a path towards a two-state solution which builds on the groundwork laid by the Clinton Parameters and the Arab Peace and Geneva Initiatives. The international community laid the original basis for the two-state solution when it passed UNGA Resolution 181 (the Partition Plan) in 1947 calling for the establishment of a Jewish and an Arab state in Mandatory Palestine. It should continue to assume responsibility for the fulfilment of that vision.
The Next Century Foundation also encourages more members of the international community to formally recognise the State of Palestine. In 2014, Sweden recognised Palestine on the grounds that it fulfils the international law criteria for recognition, becoming the first European Union member state to do so and paving the way for other European countries to do the same. Iceland, seven East European Union member states, and 130 other governments have also issued formal statements recognising Palestine. Such acts serve as reminders that there are alternatives to violence. Further international recognition of the State of Palestine would put both parties on a level playing field and encourage the initiation of a peace process.
Gaza
Finally, the Next Century Foundation would like to address the current situation in Gaza. The 16-year blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt has continued far too long. It constitutes collective punishment which is illegal under International Law. The Foundation understands concerns in Israel over positions taken by Hamas and recognises the feelings of fear and insecurity the launching of rockets inspires. However, the blockade indiscriminately punishes an entire civilian population of two million for acts for which they bear no responsibility, instead of targeting the individuals, groups, or factions who are responsible. The blockade has led to an acute humanitarian crisis which must be alleviated through interim measures and international aid until a more permanent plan addressing Gaza’s problems can be put into place.
The Foundation calls for Israel to honour its commitment to the Oslo Accords which permit fishing for up to 20 nautical miles from the shore. The years of overfishing in a small area caused by the blockade have depleted the fish population and breeding grounds. Fishing is one of the few viable industries in Gaza and must be allowed to grow as a first step to reversing the negative socioeconomic trends and rebuilding the Gazan economy.
It is also necessary for Israel and Egypt to loosen restrictions on the movement of people in and out of Gaza. Their policy of isolation is counterproductive and inspires radicalisation and extremism. We appeal to both Israel and Egypt to enable outsiders to visit. It is wrong that the Gazans barred from free exit from their country are not even allowed visitors.
The time to find a long-term solution for Gaza is now. Several rehabilitation schemes have been proposed. The most credible have included international investment in Gaza’s infrastructure, the alleviation of Israel and Egypt’s restrictions on travel and commerce, and the Hamas leadership’s agreement to a long-term truce with Israel. While the Palestinian Authority has been open to working and cooperating with Israel at several levels, the Hamas leadership continues to resist this. The Foundation commends Egypt’s successful mediation between Hamas and Israel on several occasions, including their negotiation of a ceasefire during the May 2021 conflict. Without carefully calculated pressure and mediation from external players, an agreement between Hamas and Israel is unlikely to be reached. The Foundation calls upon the international community, particularly those who have previously shown interest in Gaza’s rehabilitation, such as Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, to commit to playing a role in negotiations.
