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The Need for a Rule-Oriented Israeli-Palestinian Customs Union: The Role of International Trade Law and Domestic Law

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 May 2009

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The Protocol on Economic Relations (hereinafter: Economic Protocol or Protocol), signed between Israel and the PLO, reflects the schizophrenia that afflicts the agreement as a whole. Is it an agreement to separate Israel from the Palestinians, politically and economically, or is it an agreement of cooperation that will bring about an integration of their economies? These questions can hardly be answered before the parties have reached a shared view of the final status. In the meanwhile, the economic interim solution may dictate the political result. The Protocol provisions are not conducive to economic cooperation. Furthermore, its implementation so far raises serious doubts regarding its viability.

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Articles
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Copyright © T.M.C. Asser Press 1997

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References

Abbreviations used include: IMF Report – Zavadjil, M., Calika, N., Kanaan, O., Chua, D., Recent Economic Developments, Prospects, and Progress in Institution Building in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (Washington D.C., International Monetary Fund 1997);Google Scholar PA – Palestinian Authority; PLO – Palestine Liberation Organisation; the Territories – the West Bank (Judea & Samaria) and Gaza Strip; UNSCO Report – United Nations Office of the Special Coordination in the Occupied Territories, Economic and Social Conditions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip: Quarterly Report Winter Spring 1997 (Gaza, UNSCO 1 04 1997);Google ScholarWorld Bank Report – Developing the Occupied Territories: An Investment in Peace, (The World Bank,Washington D.C.09 1993), a six-volume series communicating the results of a study of the Multilateral Working Group in Economic Development, supported by die World Bank, at me request of the sponsors and organisers of me Middle East Peace Talks.Google Scholar

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116. World Bank Report, vol. 1: Overview, p. 13.

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118. IMF Report, p. 23; cf. also UNSCO Report, p. 28.

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122. IMF Report, p. 17.

123. IMF Report, p. 19.

124. N. Kanafani, Professor of Economics at the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University in Copenhagen, Palestinian – Israeli Trade Relations (1): Free Trade Area or Customs Union? MAS (The Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute) Policy Notes, Issue No. 1, August 1996; Samir Huleileh, PA Assistant Deputy Minister of Trade, views this a political rather than economic reason for establishing an FTA, since it would allow the Palestinians to define their relationship with third countries and the international market independently – Palestinian – Israeli Trade Relations (2): Trade Policy Options for the West Bank and Gaza Strip, MAS (The Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute) Policy Notes, (September 1996) Issue No. 2.

125. World Bank Report, vol. 1: Overview, p. 14.

126. N. Kanafani, supra n. 124; cf., also the comments of S. Huleileh, supra n. 124.

127. S. Huleileh, ibid.

128. Cf., Art. 9(2) EC Treaty.

129. World Bank Report, vol. 1: Overview, p. 14.

130. Cf., Einhorn, T., The Role of the Free Trade between Israel and the EEC: the Legal Framework for Trading with Israel between Theory and Practice (Baden-Baden, Nomos 1994) pp. 1520.Google Scholar

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135. See Toward Free Trade in the Middle East, supra, n. 132, p. 15.

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137. Cf., World Bank Report, vol. 1: Overview, p. 13.

138. Cf., Belous, R. S., Lemco, J., “The Nafta Development Model of Combining High- and Low-Wage Areas‘, in Belous, R.S., Lemco, J., eds., NAFTA as a Model of Development (New York, State University of New York 1995) p. 6;Google Scholar I. Diwan, Regional Coordinator for the Economic Development Institute at the World Bank, ‘Three Questions, Three Options’, in Palestinian – Israeli Trade Relations (2): Trade Policy Options for the West Bank and Gaza Strip, supra n. 124.

139. Cf., Authorization of the President to make the proclamation, 104th Congress of the USA, 2nd session, 3 January 1996; The White House Office of the Press Secretary, Press Release 14 November 1996; 16(7) Middle East Business Intelligence, 5 April 1997.

140. OJ C 1997 128/1 (24 April 1997).

141. European Commission Memorandum on Trade and Economic Relations between Israel and the EC dated 24 July 1997, p. 3.

142. World Bank Report, vol. 1: Overview, p. 14.

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146. Cf., Perla, D., Abdul-Hamid, R., Haller, M., Kalman, D., Intellectual Property Reform in the Palestinian Territories (Jerusalem, Israel/Palestine Centre for Research and Information (hereinafter: IPCRI) 1997);Google ScholarBahu, R., Melloul, E., Walsh, W., Banking Law Reform in the Palestinian Territories, (Jerusalem, IPCRI 1995).Google Scholar

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151. Cf., The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories (hereinafter: B'tselem), Annual Report of Violations of Human Rights in the Territories 1989 (Jerusalem, B'tselem 1989);Google ScholarB'Tselem, , Violations of Human Rights in the Territories 1990/91 (Jerusalem, B'tselem 1992);Google ScholarB'Tselem, , Violations of Human Rights in the Territories 1992/93 (Jerusalem, B'tselem 1994).Google Scholar

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153. Human Rights Watch World Report 1996, pp. 290–293; Amnesty International: Palestinian Authority Bulletin, 22 May 1997. According to the bulletin, broadcasts of sessions of the Palestinian Legislative Council are frequently jammed by the PA, as they often contain severe criticisms of the PA; B'tselem, , Punishment without trial, illegal arrest and torture of Palestinians residents of the West Bank by the Palestinian Security Services: Summary, (August 1995);Google ScholarShaked, R., ‘The investigation chambers of the Palestinian General Security Services’, Yedi'ot Aharonot 9 September 1994;Google ScholarShlain, H., ‘A ‘B’tselem investigator has been released yesterday from arrest in Ramalla’, Ma'ariv 4 January 1996.Google Scholar

154. Amnesty International: Palestinian Authority Bulletin 22 May 1997.

155. S. Ghazali, ‘Torture, Murder and Lies’, Associated Press 27 May 1997; The Palestinian Human Rights Monitor, ‘Deaths in Custody: 1st Quarter 1997’ (March- April 1997) Issue 2.

156. The Preamble to the Interim Agreement.