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The Palestinian Refusal to Attend the Bahrain Economic Workshop Is Irresponsible and Self-Defeating
(Institute for Contemporary Affairs-Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) Amb. Alan Baker - The Palestinian leadership took upon themselves the political responsibility to negotiate peace when accepting the reins of governance and the representation of the Palestinian people under the Oslo Accords. Thus, one may well ask whether their negative and obstructive position regarding the economic workshop in Manama, Bahrain, and their concerted attempt to politicize what is intended to be a non-political meeting is not, in effect, a serious violation of their international responsibilities and obligations. Moreover, Palestinian insistence on paying significant portions of their budget as salaries to imprisoned terrorists and their families, as a sign of their institutional support, glorification, and encouragement of terror, is the antithesis of any concept of prudent economic governance. But more notably, it is also a serious violation of accepted international norms encapsulated in counter-terror conventions prohibiting the transfer of finances to terrorists and for use by terror organizations, as well as UN resolutions and declarations calling upon states to refrain from financing terror activities. It is a sad reflection on a misguided and irresponsible leadership that prefers conflict, incitement, and hostility, rather than the hope for peace and economic improvement for the Palestinian people. The writer, former legal adviser and deputy director-general of Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, participated in the negotiation and drafting of the Oslo Accords with the Palestinians.