Europes Toolbox and Israeli-Palestinian Relations After the Kerry Effort: What Role for What Purpose
A discussion on European policy options in support of Israeli-Palestinian peace following a hiatus in US negotiating efforts.
Guests
Panel 1:
Krassimir Nikolov, European External Action Service
Charles Shamas, Mattin Group
Asher Shechter, Haaretz
Phyllis Starkey, Former Member of Parliament
Panel 2:
Joe Saba, Georgetown University
Alaa Tartir, LSE / Al-Shabaka Policy Network
Catherine Woollard, European Peacebuilding Liaison Office
Mattia Toaldo, European Council on Foreign Relations
Chaired by
Panel 1:
Federica Bicchi, London School of Economics
Panel 2:
Daniel Levy, European Council on Foreign Relations
Panel 1: Europe’s Funding Guidelines and Activities Beyond the Green Line: Consequences and Prospects
Until recently, Europe had been successful in insulating its economic relations with Israel from its opposition to settlements and occupation of the West Bank. Through its 2012 Foreign Affairs Council conclusions, the EU laid the ground for a major policy shift which resulted in last summer's guidelines prohibiting EU funding for Israeli settlement-based entities. This discussion will look at what more can be done to advance the EU’s policy of differentiating between Israel and its settlements, and what impact this will likely have on Israeli public debate regarding the continuation of Israel’s settlement policy in the Occupied Territories.
Panel 2: Re-defining Donor Aid to the Palestinians? Europe’s Role
Under Prime Minister Fayyad, the Palestinian Authority pursued a project of institution-building under occupation which received steadfast European support. With the end of Fayyadism and with no final status agreement in sight, European donor aid is in need of a new narrative that provides support to the Palestinians without becoming functional to the Israeli occupation. This panel will look at how to develop a narrative for donor aid that looks at PA and Palestinian support more generally in terms of conflict prevention and damage limitation, and how future efforts can be perceived as a form of empowerment rather than as a way to delegitimise the PA and the national project