By Judith Ugwumadu | 6 August 2014
The UK must do more to press Israel to lift ‘unnecessary’ restrictions that limit economic development in Palestinian, British MPs said today.
The House of Commons International Development Committee examined UK Department for International Development bilateral programmes focused on easing economic restrains within the Occupied Palestinian Territories, which comprise the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.
Its UK's Development Work in the Occupied Palestinian Territories report argued that Israel’s policies in the OPTs inhibit economic development. Israel has imposed restrictions on, for example, construction permits, demolitions, access to water and access to 3G and 4G networks for Palestinians.
Malcolm Bruce, chair of the IDC, said that the ongoing violence by Palestinian and Israeli extremists did not bode well for peace negotiations for a two-state solution.
‘But as much of the coverage surrounding recent violence has highlighted, restrictions which restrain economic development within the OPTs remain a key issue for the Palestinians. We believe that significant effort to improve conditions and the economy within the OPTs is in everyone’s interests,’ he said.
The 1995 Oslo II Accords split the West Bank was into Areas A, B and C, with the Palestinian Authority having full control in Area A, and full control of civil matters in Area B. In Area C however, the government of Israel has full control.
The committee cited a World Bank 2013 report, which found that the way in which Area C is currently managed virtually prevents Palestinian businesses from investing there.
It suggested that significant efforts to improve economic conditions within the OPTs would be in everyone’s interests.
Bruce said: ‘In particular, as the World Bank made plain in a report last year, there would be scope to raise Palestinian gross domestic product by over 20% if Palestinian businesses were allowed to invest in Area C, that part of the West Bank controlled exclusively by the Israelis.’
The committee also called on DFID to support the World Bank programme for helping the Palestinian Authority with land registration.
In particular, he said: ‘We challenge the assertion that restrictions which curtail economic development in the OPTs are based on Israel’s security needs and can be justified on security grounds. We argue that the UK, in concert with other European countries, should put pressure on the government of Israel to lift some of the restriction in the OPTs as a matter of urgency.
‘In particular, the UK should encourage both sides to negotiate to address the disputed issues, including Palestinian access to 3G and 4G services in the West Bank, and greater access to the West Bank aquifer, construction permits, demolitions and master plans.’
A DfID spokesman said: “We welcome the IDC’s strong support for our work on economic development in the OPTs and agree that sustainable development can only happen if economic restrictions are eased.
‘We will continue our work to help strengthen Palestinian institutions and build a prosperous and stable future Palestinian state. We are also committed to lasting change in Gaza, though we recognise that reconstruction and growth cannot happen until we have a durable ceasefire.’
