RIYADH, 28 May 2007 — Gulf speakers at the Euro-Gulf Forum here yesterday accused the European Union of not doing enough for peace in Palestine and Lebanon. They also said that Europeans were shying away from describing Israeli tactics as an “occupation,” adding that Europe was not doing enough to pressure Israel to withdraw from Palestinian territories which would pave the way for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
Volker Perthes of the German Institute for International Security Affairs said that he believed that because the peace process in the Middle East had broken down all initiatives from countries in the region were one-sided without discussions with the other party. He gave the examples of the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000, the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, and the cease-fire by Hamas in 2005. He said that one-sided initiatives would not produce results in the peace process.
He also said that the weakening of Arab governments in the region fueled instability and that governments had failed to offer basic security, prosperity, and development to their people.
Perthes went on to say that categorizing the region as Sunni or Shiite, moderate or radical, pro-peace or anti-peace had negative implications, not only on the region but was “also a threat to Europe.” He said that it made it difficult for Europeans “who wish to have a positive impact in the region.” He believes that categorization is also a security threat which will weaken the bond between people and their governments.
Perthes lauded Saudi Arabia for bringing the Palestinians to Makkah that paved the way for a unified Palestinian government. He also lauded the Kingdom for relaunching the Arab peace initiative. He said that Europe had tried to relaunch the Quartet. “I believe that is not enough. The Quartet should include parties with which Israel does not have peace agreements.”
He also stressed the importance of defining a goal for the road map. “It is good to have a road map, but you need to know where the road is leading.” He said that if the West encouraged elections in the region, it had an obligation to respect their outcome.
Abdulakhalaq Abdulla of United Arab Emirates University described the security situation in the Palestine, Lebanon and Iraq as the worst in the entire Middle East. “Violence in Palestine, Lebanon, and Iraq represents 80 percent of all violence in the Middle East,” he said.
He indicated, however, his resentment of the European stance to the crisis in the Middle East. “It is disappointing. It does not live up to the moral, political, and cultural basics we expect from Europe.”
