Quarterly Updates

After the tension last quarter over the territorial clause in the Horizon 2020 agreement, excluding Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem from eligibility for EU grants, the official EU rhetoric during this quarter emphasized instead the mutual benefits of cooperation.

On 3/28, during its 25th session in Geneva, the UN Human Rights Council passed 5 resolutions pertaining to Israeli conduct.

At the beginning of the quarter, the EU finally concluded (11/26) an agreement to allow Israel’s participation in the Horizon 2020 scientific research project.

This quarter saw a major dispute between the UNRWA and the personnel that administers its programs in the oPt UNRWA had been facing a financial crunch for some time following the strain on its services placed by the crisis in Syria, and the heightened needs of its beneficiary population in Lebano

EU-Israeli relations this quarter were dominated by controversy over new European guidelines restricting funding on projects with Israeli institutions which had ties to settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem (see Update in JPS 169).

Israel’s 18-month long boycott of the UN Human Rights Council came to an end as Israeli officials including the dep. atty. gen. participated in the hearing held in Geneva on 10/29.

While the EU and Ashton did not depart from long-standing positions such as supporting peace talks and criticizing settlement construction, this quarter was marked by unusual tension between Israel and the EU.

Israel’s conflict with the UN Human Rights Council continued this quarter, despite a letter (6/3) from Israel’s UNHRC Amb. Eviatar Maner, expressing his govt.’s intention to restore ties with the council.

During this quarter, the EU expressed concern about ongoing Israeli settlement construction and other occupationrelated policies that had come to dominate public diplomacy with Tel Aviv. Yet, there was still no sign that any serious European move to use sanctions of any sort was imminent.

On 3/18, a UN Human Rights Council fact-finding mission formally presented its high-profile report on Israel’s West Bank settlements, released in 1/2013 (see Doc. A5 in JPS 167), at the UNHRC’s 22nd session in Geneva.

Israel’s announcements about settlement construction and expansion during late 11/2012 and early 12/2012 prompted anger among EU member states.

On 1/29, Israeli representatives failed to appear at a session of the UNHCR in Geneva that had been scheduled to review Israeli human rights practices under the organization’s ‘‘Universal Periodic Review Process,’’ to which all 193 member states are subjected.

During this quarter, the EU was ambivalent regarding the Palestinians’ UN statehood bid, with differences of opinion between member states being exposed. The EU was also lobbied by the U.S.

On 8/27, the UN published a significant report, the headline of which claimed that the Gaza Strip would no longer be "liveable" by 2020 (see Doc.

The EU took no major decisions or action related to the Palestinians or the peace process this quarter. However, Israeli FM Avigdor Lieberman went to Brussels on 7/23 for a regular consultation with the EU.

On 6/29, UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee approved (13–6) a Palestinian request to place the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem on its list of world heritage sites at risk because of its urgent need for repairs. The U.S. strongly opposed the request, stating the church was not imperiled.

The Washington Times ran (5/30) a special report on how Israel’s relationship with China was raising international concerns.

On the Israeli-Palestinian front: Russian pres. Vladimir Putin made a 1-day visit to Israel on 6/25 for the unveiling of a monument dedicated to Russian soldiers.

The EU largely limited its involvement on the Israel-Palestine issue to the Quartet this quarter, focusing instead on issues related to Iran and the Arab Spring.

The UN-affiliated International Criminal Court (ICC) rejected (4/3) a PA request to sign the ICC’s founding treaty (the Rome Statute), reaffirming that only internationally recognized states can join the court.

Russia limited its involvement on the Israeli-Palestinian track to the Quartet this quarter, focusing instead on issues related to Syria and Iran.

Russia did not play a major role in the peace process or the Palestine issue this quarter, generally limiting its involvement to the Quartet.

The EU largely restricted its participation in the peace process this quarter to the Quartet, with EU foreign policy dir.

As noted above (see “Jordan Hosts Israeli-Palestinian ‘Exploratory Talks’”), after Israeli-Palestinian exploratory talks collapsed, UN Secy.-Gen. Ban made (1/31–2/2) a special trip to the region to meet with Jordan’s King Abdallah and FM Judeh, PA pres.

Russia’s participation in the peace process was limited this quarter to (1) the Quartet, where it gave lukewarm endorsement to the U.S.-drafted 9/23 initiative for restarting Israeli-Palestinian talks, and (2) the UNSC, where it strongly supported the Palestinian statehood bid.

The 27 EU states were particularly divided over the Palestinian statehood initiative at the UN, and thus were subjected to intensive lobbying by the Palestinians, Israelis, and Americans. Britain, France, Germany, and Portugal, currently members of the UNSC, were especially targeted.

While the Palestinian statehood bid at the 9/2011 UNGA session was the major UN event of interest this quarter, a handful of other actions affecting the peace process took place in UN bodies.

Russia’s hosting of the 5/22 FatahHamas meeting to sign their understandings on implementing their unity agreement (see “National Reconciliation” above) marked one of Russia’s most significant interventions in the peace process in years; Mustafa Barghouti, of

EU efforts on the peace process this quarter focused on reviving PalestinianIsraeli peace talks and on the anticipated 9/2011 Palestinian statehood bid at the UN. European parliament pres. Jerzy Buzek toured (ca. 6/13–15) Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Though the upcoming 9/2011 UNGA session was of major interest this quarter because of the Palestinian statehood initiative, few actions affecting the peace process took place in UN bodies.

The main intra-Palestinian event of the quarter was the announcement that Fatah and Hamas had agreed to form a unity government and take serious steps to reintegrate West Bank and Gaza institutions and end their divide.

The Obama admin. remained divided this quarter over how best to proceed on the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Some senior officials, including Secy. of State Clinton, continued to press for the U.S.

Palestinians continue a diplomatic offensive in anticipation of the 9/2011 target for de facto statehood; Israel launches a counteroffensive; Fatah and Hamas sign a unity agreement; the U.S.

In the absence of Quartet meetings on the peace process and P5+1 meeting on Iran, Russia largely monitored events in the region this quarter but kept lines of communication open. PA Pres. Abbas met (3/22) in Moscow with Russian pres.

EU members were a focus of Israeli and Palestinian lobbying this quarter, particularly regarding the issue of recognition of Palestinian statehood at the UN in 9/2011.