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The writer served as a senior Israeli diplomat in Washington. Today he is a
consultant on public affairs and blogs at www.lennybendavid.com.
On Thursday, May 27, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel
to Paris to formally accept the Organization for Economic Co-operation and
Development
economies.
But Israel
Palestinian Authority had its way, and the PA
economic achievement could theoretically backfire and endanger American
military assistance to the would-be state of Palestine. What
Approximately $100 million that was appropriated [1] for 2010 to train and
equip the PA
During the deliberations of the 31 OECD members earlier this year,
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki lobbied all the foreign
ministers of the OECD countries, calling for the vote to be delayed because,
he charged, Israel infringed on Palestinians
values, Ha
Israel complained that Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad also called
many of the leaders of OECD countries to argue against Israel
the Ha
participation in the organization,
Benjamin Ben-Eliezer (Labor Party),
during a time when Israel wants to begin proximity talks in order to reach
an agreement and a reconciliation between the nations.
The formal Palestinian leadership, the Palestine Liberation Organization
(PLO), was also mobilized to block Israel
[3]the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee
(BNC).
BNC coordinated with the PLO, unions and other civil society actors in all
thirty OECD member states as part of an intensive campaign to oppose Israel
membership for its persistent and systematic violations of the rights of the
Palestinians.
On a basic level, the Palestinian attack on the Israel-OECD deal just doesn
jive with the peace negotiations U.S. mediator George Mitchell is attempting
to kickstart.
On another level, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas launched a
campaign this month to boycott products made in Israeli settlements. Fines
and even jail time await Palestinians who use the enemy products or work in
neighboring Jewish communities. While Abbas claims [4] that the boycott is
not directed against Israel
to prevent a boycott of settlement goods from sliding into a boycott of all
Israeli goods which may use components or ingredients made in Judea/Samaria
a few miles away.
The boycott was also declared at a time when Israel is opening checkpoints
and encouraging economic development in the West Bank. This week, Tony Blair
Office of the Quartet Representative in Jerusalem welcomed Israel
to implement a package of measures to ease movement and access restrictions
in the West Bank. OQR Head of Mission Robert Danin welcomed the development,
saying,
and living conditions of the West Bank Palestinian population.
press release not yet posted on the Quartet website [5].]
Some 25,000 Palestinians work in the Jewish communities in the territories,
most in the settlement blocs, which will be kept under Israeli control if a
peace agreement is reached. The boycott will not only cost them their jobs,
but may also deep-six the prospect of joint economic projects in the future.
When President Mahmoud Abbas visits Washington next month, he will certainly
be quizzed by congressmen and senators about the OECD attack and the
boycott, particularly since they challenge American law on the boycott. The
2009-2010 Omnibus Appropriations Act, [6] State Department Appropriations
section, states:
The Arab League boycott of Israel, and the secondary boycott of American
firms that have commercial ties with Israel, is an impediment to peace in
the region and to United States investment and trade in the Middle East and
North Africa; all Arab League states should normalize relations with their
neighbor Israel.
to vigorously oppose the Arab League boycott of Israel and find concrete
steps to demonstrate that opposition by, for example, taking into
consideration the participation of any recipient country in the boycott when
determining to sell weapons to said country.
Ultimately, the boycott of Israel is also damaging to the Palestinians,
foreclosing the possibilities of cooperation with one of the world
dynamic economies.
Perhaps the tragic example of thousands of Israeli hothouses in Gaza should
be remembered. When Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, the bountiful
hothouses were purchased by well-meaning, peace-making tycoons, including
Bill Gates, Mort Zuckerman, James Wolfenson, and Leonard Stern. They planned
to turn the $200 million enterprise over to the Palestinian Authority.
Within days of Israel
destroyed. The tools for a better Palestinian future became targets for
wanton destruction. Today, the Palestinians economic attack on Israel will
have little impact on Israel
trust and cooperation needed for better future.
Addendum
Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 [6]
(H.R. 1105; Public Law 111-8)
DIVISION H
PROGRAMS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2009
Arab League Boycott of Israel
Sec. 7035. It is the sense of the Congress that
(1) the Arab League boycott of Israel, and the
secondary boycott of American firms that have
commercial ties with Israel, is an impediment to peace
in the region and to United States investment and trade
in the Middle East and North Africa;
(2) the Arab League boycott, which was regrettably
reinstated in 1997, should be immediately and publicly
terminated, and the Central Office for the Boycott of
Israel immediately disbanded;
(3) all Arab League states should normalize
relations with their neighbor Israel;
(4) the President and the Secretary of State should
continue to vigorously oppose the Arab League boycott
of Israel and find concrete steps to demonstrate that
opposition by, for example, taking into consideration
the participation of any recipient country in the
boycott when determining to sell weapons to said
country; and
(5) the President should report to Congress
annually on specific steps being taken by the United
States to encourage Arab League states to normalize
their relations with Israel to bring about the
termination of the Arab League boycott of Israel,
including those to encourage allies and trading
partners of the United States to enact laws prohibiting
businesses from complying with the boycott and
penalizing businesses that do comply.
Article printed from Pajamas Media: http://pajamasmedia.com
URL to article:
http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/is-the-palestinian-authority-in-violation-of-american-law/
URLs in this post:
[1] $100 million that was appropriated:
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/RS22967.pdf
[2] Ha
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/israel-fights-to-keep-palestinians-from-sabotaging-its-admittance-into-oecd-1.289324
[3] according to:
http://holdisraelaccountable.net/2010/05/10/palestinian-civil-society-condemns-oecd/
[4] Abbas claims:
http://www.reuters.com/news/video?rpc=401&videoId=91411324&feedType=VideoRSS&feedName=TopNews&rpc=401&videoChannel=1
[5] Quartet website: http://www.quartetrep.org/quartet/index
[6] Omnibus Appropriations Act,:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_house_committee_prints&docid=f:47494h.wais
