 |
 |
 |
|
|
Quartet envoy to the Middle East Tony Blair in Jerusalem (Flash90)
|
|
|
|
|
|
| By Israel Insider staff October 17, 2007 |
|
| |
 Bookmark to del.icio.us |
| |
Quartet envoy to the Middle East Tony Blair is calling for the creation of a tripartite committee to monitor Israel and the Palestinian Authority's commitment to their agreements, in a plan he has termed the "Rapid Effect Project."
The purpose of the committee is to ensure that the PA takes measures to combat terrorist in Judea and Samaria, and steps up efforts to suppress Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the region, as per their agreements with Israel, according to Haaretz.
In turn, Israel's actions would also be monitored, namely Israel's efforts to dismantle roadblocks and other measures aimed at easing mobility for Palestinians. Blair stressed the importance of taking action to create change that will visibly improve the lives of Palestinians.
Blair also proposed, among other things, building a new Palestinian city near Ramallah in hopes of resettling some tens of thousands of Palestinians living in impoverished refugee camps throughout the region. Israel, the PA and the United States have discussed the matter, although it is yet unknown if the parties will approve the plan, which would require a large financial commitment from Israel.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International slammed Lebanon for its treatment of Palestinian refugees.
"The continuing restrictions on Palestinian refugees, which effectively render them the status of second-class residents, continue to be little short of a scandal and they should be lifted
without further procrastination or delay," Haaretz quoted Amnesty as saying.
"The appalling social and economic conditions of those refugees demonstrate forcefully the failure of successive governments in Israel, Lebanon, other regional states and the wider international community to respect and protect their rights, and to find a sustainable and just solution to their plight over a period that now stretches to almost six decades."
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
Click on the blue headline to read a Talkback comment and respond to it. Click on the  icon to send a private email to the talkback writer. The icon appears only if the writer has decided to be contacted. If no popup window appears, please make sure your popup blocker allows israelinsider.com.
|
|
| |
|
|
