By Toby Greene, Prof. Alan Johnson.

As part of the FPC's new Israel and Palestine after the Arab Spring essay series Dr Toby Green and Prof Alan Johnson from BICOM (Alan is also a longstanding FPC Senior Research Associate) give us their take on the current state of the conflict. They argue that attempts to reach a two state solution are at a crisis and Palestinian refusal to enter negotiations without pre-conditions was a key problem. They argue that the US had made a policy error in insisting on a full-settlement freeze from which it later climbed down and that the Palestinian decision to go unilaterally to the UN was an error. They argue regional change put pressure on the Fatah and Hamas to form a unity deal and the regime changes in neighbours have removed important alliances. They argue that the international community needs to work with the political reality on the ground, focus on bottom-up not top-down initiatives, set realistic expectations and look for incremental steps forward.

Download FPC Briefing: How do we create a future for two-states (430 kilobyte PDF)

By John Lyndon.

As part of the FPC's new Israel and Palestine after the Arab Spring essay series John Lyndon, Executive director of OneVoice Europe (a peace building NGO operating with communities in both Israel and Palestine) gives us his take on the state of the conflict. He argues that the Arab Spring risks the rise of new governments more hostile to Israel but that shifts to the right in Israeli policy have been 'insular' and 'troubling'. He argues that the last year has seen Israel and the international community disempower the moderate Palestinian leadership, through continued settlement building and the rejection of the statehood option, while the prisoner transfer agreement following the Shalit release strengthened Hamas. He believes support for the two state solution and hope for negotiations are at an all-time low but calls for an active response from civil-society.

Download FPC Briefing: Israel, Palestine, and the "Urgency of Now" (290 kilobyte PDF)

By Adam Hug. Source: The Jerusalem Post

For too long, the challenges facing Israel's Arab citizens have been obscured for international observers by the all-too-pressing concerns of the conflict. But this is gradually changing due to recognition of the growing tensions between the country's Jewish and Arab communities. It is against this backdrop that the Foreign Policy Center has published its new report, "Full and Equal Citizens: How to deliver equality for Israel's Arab community," as part of our work on minority rights across the world. It makes a number of recommendations.

Full text 

Adam Hug

December 2010 Hard copy: £4.95, plus £1 p+p.

Download Full and Equal Citizens? (730 kilobyte PDF)

Full and Equal Citizens? How to deliver equality for Israel's Arab community is a major new report from the Foreign Policy Centre, written by Policy Director Adam Hug. It provides a detailed overview of some of the main challenges facing Israel's Arab community including the current polarised political environment, discrimination in the workplace and the linked challenges of housing, planning and access to land. Based on wide ranging research and interviews, invoking both Israel's Declaration of Independence and the principles laid out by the Or Commission, it gives a critical but constructive take on the situation and the challenges ahead. The report makes a number of important recommendations for both Israel and the international community. UK Shadow Foreign Affairs Minster with responsibility for the Middle East and Human Rights Stephen Twigg MP kindly provides the preface.

• Full and Equal Citizens project launch event

Thursday 19 November 2009, 4pm-5.30pm, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Room, Houses of Parliament

Speakers:

• Aida Touma-Sliman, General Director, Women Against Violence
• Shmuel Ben-Tovim, Minister - Economic Affairs, Embassy of Israel
• Leo Williams, Manager UK Friends of the Abraham Fund Initiatives
• Adam Hug, Policy Director, Foreign Policy Centre

Chair: Sir Jeremy Beecham, New Israel Fund

The Foreign Policy Centre hosted the launch of its Full and Equal Citizens: How to deliver equality for Israel's Arab Minorities? project, supported by the Pears Foundation. The project will explore some of the main challenges facing Israel's Arab minorities including: community relations, housing, education, economic development, employment, political representation and policing.

It will also examine what lessons can be learnt from UK anti-discrimination practices and how international donors can best support community cohesion in Israel.

Download Full and Equal Citizens event invitation (190 kilobyte PDF)