The Middle East Quartet is “losing its grip” on the peace process and must radically revise its approach, a group of prominent aid agencies said yesterday ahead of a meeting of the four powers.
The lives of Palestinians have not improved and may have worsened since the Annapolis conference last November, the 21 agencies said as the EU, Russia, the UN and the US prepared to meet in New York.
“The Annapolis process was meant to herald a new dawn for the Middle East peace process,” said Christian Aid director Daleep Mukarji, referring to a process that aimed to forge a solution by the end of this year.
“Nearly one year on, we are seeing exponential settlement growth, additional check-points and — because of this — further economic stagnation. The Quartet is losing its grip on the Middle East peace process,” he said.
The Quartet is mediating the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians. It is expected to meet today at the UN general assembly in New York to discuss plans for bolstering the Annapolis process.
At US-sponsored talks in Annapolis, Maryland last November, Israel and the Palestinians revived negotiations toward resolving core problems like the status of Jerusalem, the borders of a future Palestinian state and refugees.
The conference set the goal of a peace deal by the end of this year, though that target is looking increasingly difficult to meet.
The aid agencies said the Quartet has failed to hold Israel to account for expanding settlements in the West Bank — which the four powers oppose — and had little impact on boosting freedom of movement for Palestinians.
Moreover the “lack of progress on key goals” set by the Quartet called the group’s entire approach into question, said a new report from the coalition, which includes Oxfam, Save the Children, Christian Aid, CARE and CAFOD.
“Today’s study shows that the Quartet has fundamentally failed to improve the humanitarian situation on the ground,” said David Mepham, Save the Children UK’s director of policy.
“Unless the Quartet’s words are matched by more sustained pressure and decisive action, the situation will deteriorate still further,” he said. “Time is fast running out. The Quartet needs to radically revise its existing approach and show the people of the region that it can help make a difference.”
The report assessed progress on 10 of the Quartet’s objectives, using data gathered by the aid agencies on the ground.
It concluded that in five of the 10 areas — including the most critical — there had either been no change or a marked deterioration.
Since Annapolis, the Quartet has had “partial achievements” in Palestinian security reform, securing donor pledges, increasing Gaza’s fuel supply and stimulating private sector activity, the report said.
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