By Yacov Hadas-Handelsman, Ambassador, Mission of Israel to the EU

The situation in our part of the Middle East does not appear to make much sense at first glance. Israel has declared that it supports the establishment of two states for two peoples - which includes a Palestinian state. The Palestinians say they want a state. So why do two seemingly identical positions not lead to the expected outcome? The answer is simple - both sides hold opposing views on the means to reach this goal.

Israel believes that a Palestinian state should be achieved as the result of a comprehensive and genuine peace process. Negotiations remain the only means to reach agreement on the complicated issues that surround the establishment of a new state.

However, the Palestinian Authority (PA) is attempting to bypass talks and create a state without making peace with Israel. This is the motivation behind their refusal to participate in serious negotiations for nearly three years, as well as their decision to turn to the UN for recognition.

There is an unbridgeable gap between a state with peace and a state without peace. The future of the relationship between Israel and the Palestinians lies in that difference. Will the Palestinians have a country from which they launch further attacks on Israel or will they build a country which will live in peaceful coexistence with their neighbour?

Instead of negotiating, the Palestinians are assailing Israel with diplomatic warfare. They have orchestrated a recognition bid at the UN, in direct violation of the Oslo Accords the PA signed with Israel, which specifically forbid unilateral action to change the status of the West Bank and Gaza.

It has become increasingly clear that the Palestinian Authority is not very interested in peace negotiations. This unfortunate turn of events is demonstrated by the ever growing list of preconditions the Palestinians have set for the resumption of negotiations.

The first precondition laid out by the PA was an end to settlement activity. They then proceeded to ignore the 10-month moratorium on West Bank building initiated by Israel, deciding to negotiate only after nine and a half months had passed. After six hours of talks, they abandoned negotiations once again. Then they demanded that before talks begin, Israel must surrender to their demands and recognize the 1949 cease-fire lines (erroneously referred to as the 1967 borders) as the borders of a future Palestinian state. Now there are press reports that a third precondition is on its way - a release of convicted Palestinian terrorists from Israeli jails.

Furthermore, as part of their strategy of avoiding direct negotiations they have chosen to disregard the urgent appeal issued by the Quartet, in which the European Union plays a crucial role, on September 23rd: "to overcome the current obstacles and resume direct bilateral Israeli-Palestinian negotiations without delay or preconditions.

To see the full article as it appeared in the EU Observer, click here.

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Photo: IDF Spokesperson

Over 30 rockets and mortars have been fired from the Gaza Strip at Israeli communities since Saturday. Rockets and mortars struck Ashdod (population of over 200,000), Ashkelon (population of 113,000), Gan Yavne (population of 19,000) and the Eshkol Regional Council, killing one person and injuring approximately 20, most suffering from shock. Several buildings, including a school, were damaged in the attacks.

The latest escalation began after a Gaza rocket hit Ashdod on Wednesday, October 26. In a joint IDF and the Israel Security Agency, IAF aircraft attacked a cell of terrorists preparing to fire long-range rockets from the southern Gaza Strip. This same terrorist cell was responsible for the rockets fired at southern Israel last Wednesday. A commander of the Islamic Jihad and four of its munitions experts were killed.

To read a statement by HR Catherine Ashton, click here.

To read the full story, click here.

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Credit © European Union, 2011

The 5th annual seminar on the fight against Anti-Semitism and xenophobia convened in Brussels on Wednesday 26 October, bringing together experts and diplomats from both Israel and the European Union.

Topics discussed in the two day seminar included educating against Anti-Semitism and racism, legislation and enforcement as well as the prevention of Anti-Semitic and racist phenomena in the media. These discussions were aimed at helping policy-makers adopt efficient mechanisms and measures against these phenomena.

Both Israel and the EU assign great importance to this seminar, which reflects the common struggle against the scourges of Anti-Semitism and xenophobia in Europe. The EU was represented by Mr. Paul Nemitz, Director of the Fundamental Rights and Citizenship unit in the European Commission as well as Mr. Emmanuel Crabit head of unit for fundamental rights and rights of the child. The Israeli side was represented by the Ambassador of Israel to the EU Mr. Yacov Hadas-Handelsman, as well as the Director of the Department for Combating Anti-Semitism at the Israeli ministry of foreign affairs, Mr. Gideon Behar, representatives of Yad-Vashem, the world center for Holocaust education and research, and Israeli academics.

The meeting's host Mr. Nemitz, cited the already existing European legislation against xenophobia and racism, and stressed the need to combat Anti-Semitism. Ambassador Hadas-Handelsman emphasized that today the difference between Anti-Semitism and anti-Israeli criticism has become blurred, along with intensifying attempts to de-legitimize Israel. He added that Europe should act decisively against these phenomena, and this seminar is an example of such an activity.

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Gilad Shalit

In the morning of Tuesay, 18 October, abducted soldier Gilad Shalit was finally released from more than five years of captivity in the hands of the Hamas terrorist organization in Gaza. It is with great joy that the people of Israel welcome him home today. However, that happiness is tempered with sorrow at the thought of the more than five years of his life that were lost, as well as the price paid for his freedom.

Gilad was abducted to Gaza from Israeli territory in the 25 June 2006 attack that killed two other soldiers. He was held in total isolation by the Hamas terrorist organization, without basic humanitarian conditions in violation of international law, denied even visits by the International Red Cross. At the same time, the more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners for which he is being exchanged received all possible privileges, including legal representation, family contact and even higher educational opportunities.

In the background were the dramatic changes in the Middle East which have opened a brief window of opportunity to realize a deal: they increased the risk to Gilad’s welfare and future, and it was also the first time that the Hamas has shown any flexibility.

The deal balances between the desire to bring home an abducted soldier and the need to maintain the security of the citizens of Israel. More than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners convicted in a court of law for horrific bombings and attacks, will be released. At the same time, none of the senior leaders or commanders of Hamas, Fatah or the PFLP will be included in the arrangement.

Israel thanks all those who were involved in completing the negotiations, including the Egyptian government. Israel also thanks the German mediator for his assistance.

Further background on the agreement in this ITIC report

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Photo: Gaby Farkas 2011

On October 10, 2011, an exhibition of drawings entitled "When the Shark and the Fish First Met" based on a story written by Gilad Shalit when he was 11-years-old opened at the European Parliament.   

Gabriele Albertini, chair of the AFET Committee and Parliament President Jerzy Buzek spoke at the opening of the exhibition, which was held at the same time as a visit by Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin, and Knesset Members Ofir Akunis, MK Ya'akov Edri, and MK Nahman Shai.

Shalit's story is about a shark and a fish that were not supposed to live side by side and despite their parents' opposition, they chose to live in harmony rather than be enemies.

To watch a TV interview with Speaker Reuven Rivlin, click here.

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In preparation for the upcoming meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee on September 18, 2011, a report was prepared. This committee was established fifteen years ago by the Government of Norway to coordinate international aid for the purpose of building and strengthening the capabilities and institutions of the Palestinian Authority.

The Government of Israel views the bilateral track with the Palestinians as the only way to reach a sustainable solution, based on two states for two peoples. The Government of Israel seeks to maintain the existing legal framework, as long as circumstances allow.

After two consecutive years of impressive economic growth in the West Bank, the Palestinian economy now faces a slowdown. This is due to  fact that the Palestinian budget's is dependent on foreign aid and the shortfall in aid in 2011; the PA's inability to finance the shortfall through bank loans; the lack of sufficient internal resources to generate income; and a relatively large public sector which consumes a large portion of the budget.

Israel's policy in the West Bank has contributed significantly to growth in the past year. Trade between Israel and the PA continuously increased by 7% throughout the first half of 2011, an increase reflected by a 6% increase in tax revenue collection transferred to the PA. A higher volume of commercial goods was shipped from the West Bank via the land crossings to Israel.

Unfortunately terror threats still remain. In August, an Israeli operation uncovered 13 Hamas terror cells in the West Bank, on the eve of a planned attack in Israel. This is a disturbing reminder of just how distant real security remains. In 2011, civilians in Israel were unfortunately victimized by several deadly attacks. Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit remains in captivity in the Gaza Strip. For more than five years his most basic rights, such as the right to be visited by the Red Cross, have been violated.

The International Community must do its utmost to bring about his immediate and unconditional release.

To read the full text of the report, click here.

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UN Photo/Rick Bajornas

This article appeared in New Europe on August 22, 2011.

The Palestinian leadership has made clear its intentions to declare statehood unilaterally and seek admission to the United Nations this upcoming fall. While such a move might indeed score the Palestinians a political win by serving to isolate Israel even further in the international arena, such a Palestinian victory will be symbolic at best. 

In practice, the situation on the ground for the Palestinian people is unlikely to change or improve.  To the contrary, such a unilateral move threatens to unravel the delicate thread of legal and administrative cooperation that has been woven between Israel and the Palestinian Authority throughout the past 20 years under the framework of the Oslo peace process, including the Interim Agreement on the West Bank and Gaza that was signed by the parties in 1995.  Indeed, ongoing cooperation between Israel and the Palestinians in some 40 spheres of daily life - including security, water and taxation matters – has lead to relative calm in the West Bank and has engendered significant economic growth in the Palestinian economy. The aftermath of a bitter and highly politicized vote in the UN would undoubtedly threaten, to the detriment of all peoples in the area, the continuation of such strategic cooperation and its positive economic and societal results.

Furthermore, neither a unilateral Palestinian declaration of statehood nor a politicized move in the UN, will actually resolve the outstanding issues that remain on the negotiating table between Israel and the Palestinians. These issues include such crucial elements as the establishment of borders, the institution of security arrangements, the determination of the status of Jerusalem, the clarification of the refuge issue, and the allocation of vital water resources, among other things. A unilateral approach to trying to solve core issues by imposing a solution that is acceptable to only one party to the conflict will serve to deepen and intensify the conflict as well as to further entrench the opposing positions.