In Response to Negotiations Affairs Department Report, Dr. Erekat Says ''Stronger Enforcement Mechanism’’ Needed

Upon his departure to the United States as part of the Palestinian presidential delegation attending the UN General Assembly’s 63rd session, Chief Palestinian Negotiator Dr. Saeb Erekat expressed his disappointment in Israel’s failure to implement any of its Road Map obligations and reiterated the need to establish a ''stronger international enforcement mechanism’’ in addition to the existing mechanism to monitor implementation of the Quartet-brokered plan.

While the renewal of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, declared at the Annapolis Conference on 27 November 2007, is a significant milestone in Palestinians’ journey to establish their sovereign state, Dr. Erekat said that the Palestinians continue to be alarmed by the ongoing Israeli policies on the ground: “Virtually every indicator of settlement activity shows that Israel has accelerated its settlement activity since Annapolis, while we have proven our commitment to our obligations under Phase I of the Road Map and, with international support, have already made considerable progress.”

Dr. Erekat’s comments came after the PLO Negotiations Affairs Department released a summary of Israeli violations in the nine months since Annapolis. The report highlights Israel’s settlement activities in the occupied West Bank, showing a sixteen-fold increase in settlement housing units tendered and a three-fold increase in building permits as compared to the seven-month pre-Annapolis period. In addition, Israel had killed 494 Palestinians, including 76 children, as of last month.

Dr. Erekat concluded by calling for concerted international efforts to put a stop to Israeli actions that are contrary to international law and the goal of peace: “We are grateful for General Fraser’s efforts in monitoring Road Map performance on behalf of the Quartet. However, experience of the past year has shown that this mechanism needs to be coupled with stronger enforcement of Road Map compliance by the Quartet and the broader international community.”