Israeli–Palestinian economic peace efforts refers to efforts to promote joint economic projects between Israelis and Palestinians, as a pathway to reach peace between the two groups.
It is based partially on official efforts and projects by the governments of Israel and the Palestinian Authority, and partially based on private efforts by individual companies and business people who seek to promote various ventures which promote economic unity and collaboration between the two sides.
General areas of cooperation and common effort Valley of Peace Initiative The Valley of Peace initiative is an effort to promote economic cooperation between Israel, Jordan and the Palestinians, based around efforts and joint projects in the Arava/Arabah Valley, along which runs the southern portion of the Israel–Jordan border. It has received the personal attention and support of Shimon Peres, President of Israel. The initiative involves ongoing joint efforts by regional leaders to launch joint new industrial and economic projects, which will create new local businesses and job growth, and promote ongoing cooperation.Israel, Jordan, PA and Japan Launch 'Valley of Peace', 8/15/07.'A valley of economic harmony by Yaakov Lappin, jpost.com, 1/18/08.Dramatic new support for Red-Dead plan By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH, Jerusalem Post, May 16, 2008.
The idea for this project began in 2005, when Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority asked the World Bank to analyze the feasibility of this idea.Israel, Jordan unveil $800m joint plan for ‘Red-Dead’ canal: As well as rejuvenating the rapidly diminishing Dead Sea, the canal will bring drinking water to both countries, Times of Israel, December 1, 2015.
The formal proposal for the Valley of Peace initiative began with a joint proposal in 2008 to build a canal between the Red and Dead Seas, desalinating the water, producing hydroelectric power and yielding profits, clean water, jobs and potentially unprecedented regional cooperation. The study concluded in 2013, and an agreement was signed in 2013 by Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority to move ahead with the plan.
In February 2015, Israel and Jordan signed an agreement to exchange water and jointly convey Red Sea brine to the shrinking Dead Sea. The agreement was reported to be worth about $800 million. It was the result of a memorandum of understanding signed among Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian officials on December 9, 2013, in Washington. Under this agreement, Jordan and Israel will share the potable water produced by a future desalination plant in Aqaba, while a pipeline will supply saltwater to the Dead Sea.Israel, Jordan sign historic plan to save Dead Sea, By Sharon Udasin, jpost.com 02/27/2015.Israel Desalinization Technology Leads to “Historic” Agreement with Jordan, israelideas.org, April 22, 2015.
In December 2015, Israel and Jordan formally released the technical plans to move ahead with this project.
A new desalination plant to be built near the Jordanian tourist resort of Aqaba would convert salt water from the Red Sea into fresh water for use in southern Israel and southern Jordan; each region would get eight billion to 13 billion gallons a year. This process would produces about as much brine as a waste product; the brine would be piped more than 100 miles to help replenish the Dead Sea, already known for its high salt content. This would reinforce the status of the Dead Sea as an important economic resource to both nations, in multiple areas including tourism, industry and business, to create up to a million new jobs in Israel and the West Bank.
Industrial parks One component of economic peace efforts is hi-tech industrial parks where Israelis and Palestinians can work together in a cooperative atmosphere. One example is an industrial park in Nazareth by entrepreneur Stef Wertheimer, which was being built in May 2010.Your guide today is... Shimon Peres, by Ron Friedman, Jerusalem Post, Jan 13, 2010. Wertheimer has stated, "Coexistence in the industrial park in Arab Nazareth is a good example of coexistence. When people work together, they have no time for nonsense. They're too tired at night to commit terrorist acts. They're satisfied, they engage in producing. They work together, not against each other."Stef Wertheimer's New Middle East Israel21c, January 11, 2004Peace through industrial parks: Israeli entrepreneur Stef Wertheimer wants to convert the Middle East to capitalism. Sep 18th 2003, economist.com Wertheimer has founded four industrial parks in Israel.
"The idea of industrial parks in the Middle East and on the borders between Israel and its neighbors is that the parks will bring industry and provide jobs, which will keep people busy working, instead of engaging in terrorism," explains Wertheimer. One park is the Tefen Industrial Park, which includes everything from transportation to cultural and educational facilities. In April 2013, a new industrial park opened in Nazareth. He has established seven industrial parks – in Tefen, Tel-Hai, Dalton, Lavon and now Nazareth in the Galilee; in Omer in the Negev; and another in Turkey.Stef Wertheimer opens Nazareth Industrial Park Israel MFA, accessed 5/6/2015.
Public statements Benjamin Netanyahu, a former Finance Minister of Israel and the current Prime Minister of Israel has repeatedly made public statements during the 2009 Israeli elections which advocated an approach to peace based on economic cooperation and joint effort, rather than continuous contention over political and diplomatic issues.Economics, not politics, is the key to peace By Raphael Ahren, Haaretz, November 21, 2008. He raised these ideas during discussions with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.Netanyahu offers new peace vision, Roni Sofer, 11/7/08, Israel News. Netanyahu continued to advocate these ideas as the Israeli elections got nearer and plans to execute them after he assumed office.Netanyahu Holds Big Lead in Prime Minister Race Polls, By Leslie Susser, The Jewish Journal, February 2, 2009.
Netanyahu has said:
Right now, the peace talks are based only one thing, only on peace talks. It makes no sense at this point to talk about the most contractible issue. It's Jerusalem or bust, or right of return or bust. That has led to failure and is likely to lead to failure again....We must weave an economic peace alongside a political process. That means that we have to strengthen the moderate parts of the Palestinian economy by handing rapid growth in those area, rapid economic growth that gives a stake for peace for the ordinary Palestinians.
Similarly, in a Jerusalem Post interview, Tony Blair, the special envoy for the Quartet, said in May 2009:
Question: ... we're hearing about a determination to build from the bottom up with the Palestinians, including assurances that economic projects that had been stymied will now be advanced ...
Blair: ... you have to build from the bottom up as well as negotiate from the top down ... because once you take the three "headings" – politics, economics and security ... Each of these things take decisions ... it will become apparent, whether Israelis are prepared to build from the bottom up, and whether Palestinians understand that Israel will only tolerate a Palestinian state that is a stable and secure neighbor...
... people ask me, why are you bothered about whether there's a bit of agri-industrial thing around Jericho. And I say, because it matters. The detail on the ground really matters. Just supposing you've [created the conditions] in the Jericho area to exploit the [tourism] potential it has got. You're creating a whole set of stake-holders who, when it comes to those difficult concessions, are going to say, "We want the state." They are then believing in a reality, not a shibboleth ...Blair: We've reached 'moment of truth', By DAVID HOROVITZ, jpost.com, May 10, 2009
On December 8, 2015, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin wrote an opinion piece in the Washington Post in which he stated:
Israel must take steps to improve the situation independent of the geopolitical territorial debate – steps that every sensible person understands serve simultaneously Israel’s moral and practical interests. Without resolving the question of whether or not Israel today has a Palestinian partner for peace, it is self-evident that the building of the new Palestinian city, Rawabi, is in Israel’s interest. Likewise, it is clear that cultivating channels of communication and cooperation between Israeli and Palestinian businessmen, educators and cultural figures improves our situation.What Israel should do to lay the groundwork for peace, by Reuven Rivlin, Washington Post, December 8, 2015.
General history In 1995, the first efforts in this area occurred when Palestinian and Israeli officials reached an agreement to create six to nine industrial parks along the "seam" between Israel, Gaza and the West Bank. This was intended to address widespread Palestinian unemployment while bolstering Israel's internal security by reducing the long-term flow of Arab workers into Israel.Israelis, Palestinians plan industrial parks, Elaine Ruth Fletcher, SF Examiner, April 4, 1995.
Governmental planning 2006–2008 In July 2006, Japan announced a plan for peace called "Corridor for Peace and Prosperity", which would be based on common economic development and effort, rather than on continuous contention over land.Japan's Concept for Creating the Corridor for Peace and Prosperity (Background Paper) July, 2006, Government of Japan. Shimon Peres gave this idea much attention during his participation in an international conference in New York in September 2006 which was organized by former U.S. President Bill Clinton.Peres to meet Musharraf and kings of Jordan, Morocco, Israel Today, 9/18/06.
During this period, Turkey formed the Ankara Forum, a meeting process designed to promote cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians. At this group's fourth conference in January 2007, Turkey asserted it would pursue a project to revitalize the Erez Industrial Park in the Gaza Strip.Turkey and the Palestinian Question, Bülent Aras, World Bulletin at worldbulletin.net, January 24, 2009.
In March 2007, at a two-day conference in Tokyo which included officials from Japan, Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Japan discussed its plan for peace based on common economic development and effort. Both sides stated their support.Israelis, Palestinians applaud Japanese development plan Associated Press via Haaretz.com, 3/15/07
In March 2007, the Israeli Cabinet officially decided to adopt the Peace Valley plan, which would entail promotion of and cooperation on economic development for Palestinians.Peres' 'Peace Valley' Project Approved, Arutz Sheva, israelnationalnews.com, Mar/11/07.Gov't pushes Peres 'Peace Valley' plan, By Herb Keinon, jpost.com, Mar 11, 2007. However, some news reports indicated there was little chance of movement due to lack of attention by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the Government of Israel.Border Control: $2.5 billion seeks government minister By Akiva Eldar, 06/11/2007.
In his inaugural speech in July 2007, Peres mentioned this effort, and asserted that there was great potential for cooperation among Israel, Palestinians, and Jordan. He also noted this might mean positive support from Persian Gulf states.Address to the Knesset by Shimon Peres on assuming the office of President of Israel, MFA website, 7/15/07. In August 2007, Peres met with several Israeli businessmen to discuss ways to press the plan forward.President's office: Meeting with Israeli businessmen, Office of the President of Israel, 8/8/07. Peres stated that the plan might have many positive effects which might help promote peace.Face Time with Shimon Peres, cnn.com, 12/3/07.