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Committee Overview
The Economic and Finance Committee, also known as ECOFIN, is the Second
Committee of the United Nations General Assembly. Their mandate is to address subjects related
to economic growth, development, and macroeconomics. ECOFIN also deals with subjects such
as financing for development, sustainable development, poverty eradication, globalization, and
interdependence. Issues pertaining to groups of countries of special interest, such as countries
identified as LDCs (Least Developed Countries), as well as the sovereignty of Palestinians over
their natural resources, are also considered by this committee. The Economic and Finance
Committee convenes yearly in accordance with the meeting of the General Assembly.1
1
http://www.un.org/en/ga/second/
1
Introduction
“A lasting solution to this problem will have an exceptionally positive influence foremost on
the peoples of Palestine and Israel, as well as on the region and the international community.”
– Recep Tayyip Erdogan
The right to permanent sovereignty is the right of a State to freely use, control, and
dispose of their natural resources. It is an inalienable right, it is permanent, and it is inherent in
sovereignty corresponding with the right to self-determination. This right is applicable to both
nation-states and people. The right to permanent sovereignty is protected under the Charter of
the United Nations, and is legally binding in accordance with international law.2
Since the creation of Israel in 1947, Palestine has coexisted in a state of almost perpetual
conflict with its neighbor. Originally, a two state solution for both Israel and Palestine was
designated by the United Nations. However, brutal wars between the two states have resulted in
what the current situation is today.
Currently, Israel holds very restrictive policies when it comes to the land that that they
presently occupy in Palestine. There is an air, land, and sea blockade that has been in place since
2007, and this has greatly affected the ability of the Palestinian people to get access to the natural
resources in their own land. This in turn has hindered the ability of Palestine to become selfsufficient.
Timeline
1917
The Balfour Declaration, a statement supporting a “national home” for the Jewish people in
Palestine, is announced by Britain.
1936 – 1939
A Palestinian revolt, leading to over 20,000 casualties3, is suppressed by Britain.
November 1947
The United Nations votes to partition Palestine.
May 14th 1948
Israel declares independence.
2
3
http://legal.un.org/avl/ha/ga_1803/ga_1803.html
http://www.palestinefacts.org/pf_mandate_riots_1936-39.php
2
May 15th 1948
A coalition of Arab states, including Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, invades Israel and annexes
Palestine
1967
The Six-Day War occurs between Arab states and Israel; Israel begins building settlements on
occupied Palestinian land.
1973
The Yom Kippur War occurs between Arab states, namely Syria and Egypt, and Israel.
1982
Israel defers control over the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt after the Camp David Accords.
1987 – 1993
The First Intifada occurs, leading to the establishment of the Palestinian Authority and the
recognition of Israel by Palestine.
Early 2000s
The Second Intifada occurs; Israel begins work on a wall in the West Bank.
2006
Hamas wins control over the Palestinian Parliament leading to international condemnation and
sanctions.
2007
Israel begins their blockade of the Gaza Strip after Hamas takes control of the area.
September 2012
Palestine is inducted into the United Nations as a non-member observer state.
3
Historical Analysis
In order to understand the problem at hand, we need to delve into the situation in
Palestine before the existence of Israel. In the nineteenth century, the land that is present-day
Palestine and Israel was under the control of the Ottoman Empire, known as Palestine. Arabic
was the language spoken amongst the people, and followers of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim
faiths coexisted peacefully. In the 1890s, the idea that Jews needed to have their own State quickly
spread throughout Europe; this idea of Jewish nationalism was called Zionism.
In the midst of the First World War, two opposing countries, Great Britain and the
Ottoman Empire were vying for control of this area. In 1917, Britain, in hopes of shoring up
support from the Jewish people, issued the Balfour Declaration. This declaration stated that
Britain would carry out the “establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.”
This declaration was made while the Ottoman Empire still had control of Palestine. However,
this was not the only agreement ratified during this time period. Britain and France also came to
an agreement on how to split up the Ottoman Empire in 1916. Previously, in 1915, Britain
promised the ruler of Mecca that he would be able to rule over an Arab state, which included
Palestine, if he was able to successfully command a revolt over the Ottomans. He was successful
in doing so.
After the war, Britain had control over Palestine and instituted colonies. During their
colonial rule, they created separate institutions between the Jews, Muslims, and Christians. This
made it harder for the Palestinians to cooperate with each other and aided the Brits in ruling
Palestine. In accordance with the Balfour Declaration they had announced in the past, the
population of Jewish people in Palestine jumped by over 320,000 people between 1920 and 1939,
raising the amount of Jews in the overall population to almost 30%. Due to the eviction practices
of Jewish settlers towards Arab Palestinians, tensions heightened between the two groups.
During the 1920s and 30s, the Palestinian people enjoyed a growing sense of nationalism,
beginning to think of themselves as the “Palestinian Nation.” The culmination of this national
pride was seen in 1936 when they revolted against British colonial rule. This revolt was stopped
with the aid of Jewish militias. Though unsuccessful, the revolt was not completely useless, as
Britain then proceeded to proclaim that a joint Arab and Jewish state would be created in
Palestine within ten years of this event. Concurrently, the British limited Jewish immigration to
Palestine.
Palestine was relatively peaceful during World War Two, however, tensions continued
after the war. It was at this point when the United Nations became involved, as Britain requested
its aid in dealing with the future of Palestine. The United Nations opted to partition Palestine
into two different states in November 1947. These states were intended to be roughly equal in
size.
4
(A chart indicating past and present land control of Palestine and Israel4)
After Israel declared independence on May 14th, 1948, a coalition of Arab States,
including Palestine, declared war the next day. Israel defeated the coalition, in a conflict spanning
almost ten months. As a result, they were able to occupy a third more land, which included 60%
of the Palestinian state than was originally allotted for them by the United Nations. Egypt took
control of the Gaza Strip and Jordan annexed the remainder of the West Bank not under Israeli
control. The situation remained relatively stable until the 1967 Six-Day War again between Israel
and a coalition of Arab States. Again, Israel won this conflict and gained control of the West
Bank and the Gaza Strip, as well as the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights. This event tripled
the amount of land controlled by the Israelis. In response, the United Nations passed Resolution
242. This resolution went unheeded with no substantive action for long-term peace. In the years
following this conflict, the Israeli government established Jewish settlements in what was
previously Palestinian land. These settlements were based in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and
the Gaza Strip.
Conflict arose once again in 1973, when a surprise invasion from a coalition of Arab
States led by Syria and Egypt was launched against Israel on the holiest day of the Jewish faith,
Yom Kippur. After a failed UN-negotiated ceasefire, peace finally came to the region after
twenty-two days of intense combat without any significant change in territory. As a result of this
war, a framework of peace began with negotiations at Camp David in 1978, leading to the aptly
4
http://i.stack.imgur.com/hFZd0.jpg
5
named Camp David Accords. Following this event, Egypt and Israel normalized relations and
control over the Sinai Peninsula was returned to Egypt in 1982.
After the first Intifada in the late 1980s, a time of unrest in Palestine leading to violent
protests, Hamas was formed. Hamas rejects any form of negotiation with Israel and does not
recognize their right to exist. This entity, a militant organization and Palestinian political party,
rose to power after the 1993 Oslo Accords. Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization
came to a deal where Palestine was able to set up a government to rule themselves in the Gaza
Strip and in Jericho in the West Bank in exchange for the acknowledgement of the right for Israel
to exist. However, there were some Palestinians not in agreement with this deal, leading to a
schism. Hamas won the Palestinian parliamentary election in 2006, but the previously governing
party, Fatah, derived from the original Palestinian Liberation Organization, did not wish to be
the minority party and resorted to violence. Hamas gained control of the Gaza Strip and
following this incident, Fatah set up its own government in the West Bank, leading to two
different, autonomous governments administering different parts of Palestine.
After the more violent second Intifada in which over 4,000 people were killed, Israel
began construction of a wall around the entire West Bank. However, instead of building the wall
according to the borders in the aftermath of the 1967 war, Israel opted to include Jewish
settlements built on internationally recognized Palestinian land. This move was seen as illegal by
the UN; however, the wall is still under construction.
Current Situation
As a result of the settlement policies imposed in Palestinian territory by Israel, there are
currently over 350,000 Jewish settlers in the West Bank, and over 200,000 in East Jerusalem.5
These settlements have been deemed illegal by international law, as they violate the terms set out
in the Fourth Geneva Convention. Despite this, Israel states that the convention does not apply
to the territories acquired in the 1967 Six-Day War. Nevertheless, these settlers infringe on the
rights of the Palestinian people by denying them access to land that they have the inalienable
right to use.
The Gaza Strip, currently under the management of Hamas, has seen numerous military
incursions by the Israeli Defense Forces as a result of their indiscriminate rocket attacks and
insurgent actions. Consequently, Israel imposed a sea and land embargo upon Gaza, citing
security concerns. There is a land barrier on the land borders between the Gaza Strip and Israel
and Egypt, sealing off the residents within from the outside world. In order to move freely
between Israel and Gaza, Palestinians need to have a personal exit permit issued by the Israeli
government. Furthermore, all humanitarian supplies to Gaza must be transferred through one of
five authorized border crossings. Israel also imposes restrictions on the goods allowed into the
Gaza Strip, including certain kinds of food and medical supplies.
5
http://www.breakingisraelnews.com/26966/jewish-population-in-judea-and-samaria-growingsignificantly/#DpRV1c2O5HHhPB67.97
6
The Israeli Navy has imposed a naval blockade off the coast of Gaza, limiting the freedom
of movement of Palestinian fishermen to access fish stocks. If Palestinian boats travel more than
six nautical miles from the coastline, they can expect to be fired upon by the Israeli forces. The
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs states that these fishermen
need to travel at least fifteen nautical miles away from the coastline as coastal fish stocks have
been depleted due to the restrictions. Before the blockade, the fishing industry in Gaza
contributed to 4% of the Palestinian economy, or $10 million. As a result, that amount has been
halved. Of the four thousand fishermen in Gaza, 90% are designated as poor or very poor
(making between US$100-$190 a month and less than US$100 a month, respectively).6 Overall,
the blockade has resulted in economic losses of $1.9 billion as estimated by the Palestinian
Ministry of National Economy.
Currently, Israel retains complete control over the water resources in Palestine. Four
countries, including both Israel and Palestine, share the water of the Jordan River. The
distribution of this water is, however, controlled by Israel. On a per capita basis, Israeli citizens
use three and a half times more water than Palestinians on the West Bank. It should be noted that
the per capita average daily consumption of water in the West Bank is thirty-seven litres, yet the
World Health Organization suggests that one hundred litres per capita per day as the minimum
quantity needed for basic water needs. Because of land and water restrictions imposed by the
6
http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/htmlall/palestine-update-140610
7
Israeli government, Palestinian farmers encounter routine hardships with their craft. The
inadequacy of water in Palestine due to discriminatory sharing policies has led to hindrances for
Palestinian trade, as they are no longer able to grow agriculture that they were before. The lack of
available agricultural land has escalated tensions at an alarming rate.
UN Involvement
Involvement with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict first began when the United Nations was
tasked with the question of Palestine. On November 29th, 1947, the UN adopted General
Assembly Resolution 1817, recommending the creation of two separate Jewish and Palestinian
States, with Jerusalem and Bethlehem remaining under the administration and control of the
United Nations. As a result of this resolution, fighting broke out upon Jews and Arabs, leading to
a war. After two failed truces imposed by the UN, as well as the assassination of United Nations
mediator Folke Bernadotte, the United Nations passed General Assembly Resolution 1948. To
this day, however, this resolution of peace remains unfulfilled. It was not until the following year
that armistices were negotiated among the involved parties. This conflict allowed Israel to take
60% of the proposed Palestinian state from the Partition Plan.
The United Nations formally admitted Israel into the membership of the United Nations
on May 11, 1949. To deter border clashes and ensure compliance with the armistice agreements
from the previous wars, a United Nations Emergency Force was established in the Sinai
Peninsula. It was not until the 1967 Six-Day War that the United Nations had to intervene once
7
8
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/un/res181.htm
http://www.unrwa.org/content/resolution-194
8
again to mediate and enforce a ceasefire. In the aftermath of this war, the United Nations
Security Council unanimously passed Resolution 2429, calling for the withdrawal of Israeli forces
from territory gained in the war, the termination of all belligerency, and the recognition by all
States for the right of both Palestine and Israel to exist through the so-called “land for peace”
agreement.
Israel began to build Jewish settlements in the newly annexed territories in the 1970s.
These settlements have been declared by numerous organizations as illegal and in violation of the
Fourth Geneva Convention. As previously mentioned, Israel denies the applicability of this
convention in this situation, although the United Nations Security Council, the United Nations
General Assembly, the International Court of Justice, and Security Council Resolution 44610 state
the contrary. Palestinian-Israeli tension flared up again in the 1973 Yom Kippur War where the
United Nations took action once again. After an unstable UN-negotiated ceasefire codified in
Security Council Resolution 33811 and 33912, asking for all combatants to return their forces to
the previously negotiated ceasefire lines from before this conflict, Resolution 34013 finally
cemented the end of this war.
In the 2000s, Israel began construction of a concrete barrier between them and the West
Bank, claiming that it was necessary for self-defence from Palestinian insurgency. However,
instead of building the wall upon the internationally agreed upon border, the wall enclosed Israeli
Jewish settlements on Palestinian land. In 2004, the International Court of Justice released a
statement declaring the wall illegal, that Israel should make reparations for damage caused, and
that it impeded the right of Palestinians to self-determination.
With the admission of Palestine into the United Nations as a non-member observer state
in September of 2012, the state of Palestine gained new powers recognized by the international
community, such as the ability to join treaties, specialized UN agencies, and claim legal rights
over their airspace and waters that is recognized by the United Nations. More recently, the
Economic and Financial Committee passed their annual resolution in November of 2015
reaffirming the Palestinian people’s inalienable right over their natural resources.
9
https://unispal.un.org/DPA/DPR/unispal.nsf/0/7D35E1F729DF491C85256EE700686136
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/UN/unres446.html
11
https://documents-ddsny.un.org/doc/RESOLUTION/GEN/NR0/288/67/IMG/NR028867.pdf?OpenElement
12
Ibid.
13
Ibid.
10
9
Potential Solutions
Bearing in mind the continuation of the status quo by the State of Israel, this committee
must keep in mind that adopting a resolution simply reaffirming the rights of the Palestinian
people14, a possible solution to this issue, will likely be ineffective.
Therefore, when discussing this topic, there are multiple facets that this committee must
keep in mind when coming to a resolution. The discussion of water rights of the Palestinian
people is expected to be addressed in ECOFIN, and would revolve around ways to rectify this
problem. Shared water resources are a contentious issue especially with reference to the
resolution of this topic as discussions toward a peaceful Israeli-Palestinian agreement have stalled
due to this. Due to the occupation of Palestine by Israel and their restrictive policies toward the
Palestinian state, the lack of Palestinian autonomy has affected their economy, leaving Palestine
dependent on international aid.
Another possible solution to this topic would be finding a solution that gives the ability
for Palestine to take advantage of their independent natural resources as is guaranteed under the
Charter of the United Nations. Although ECOFIN is limited in its powers to concretely
determine the course of issues, it is important that this committee discuss enforcement
mechanisms to ensure our topic is resolved. A possible United Nations body fit for this purpose
would be the International Court of Justice, as they have ruled on Israeli-Palestinian topics in the
past.
Although there are many opinions as to whether a one-state or two-state solution is best
for Israel and Palestine, coming to a consensus about this within the committee would be
optimal. Overall, when coming to resolution on this topic, delegates need to keep in mind the
practicality of the solutions they have proposed to solve this issue, the mandate of ECOFIN and if
their solution falls within it, and if a majority of the committee agrees with the aforementioned
solutions that are consistent with their respective foreign policies, a comprehensive deal will have
been reached that comes to terms with Palestinian sovereignty over their natural resources.
14
http://www.jstor.org/stable/2537178?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
10
Bloc Positions
Western Bloc
Countries in the Western Bloc, such as Canada and the United States, have consistently
voted against resolutions that are in favor of Palestine. Although these countries believe in a twostate solution when it comes to the question of Palestine, they do not think that resolutions
previously passed in this committee pertaining to their right over their natural resources will
benefit the peace negotiations as a whole.
League of Arab States
The member nations of the League of Arab States, including the United Arab Emirates,
Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, wholeheartedly support Palestinian statehood, and the resulting rights
that come along with it. They do not recognize the State of Israel, and believe that Palestine is the
rightful owner over the land that is Israel. They have consistently voted in favour of Palestinian
rights, and will continue to do bolster their ally. Palestine also holds full membership in the Arab
League.
European Union (EU)
The members of the European Union, such as the United Kingdom, France, and
Germany, have taken strides towards supporting the rights of the Palestinians, including the right
to a viable and sovereign state. They have supported previous resolutions favouring Palestine in
the past, and continues to move towards a two-state solution with Israel and Palestine. However,
they currently do not recognize the State of Palestine.
Group of 77
The Group of 77 is a coalition of developing nations within the United Nations
(including Palestine). These nations include Brazil, China, South Africa, and India. They have
voted for resolutions in the past that are supportive of the State of Palestine. Members of the G77
are against the Israeli occupation in Palestine and look forward to just economic and social
development in that region of the world.
11
Discussion Questions
Should Israel be able to maintain their control of Palestinian natural resources?
Should Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip be stopped?
Should Palestine be allowed to get reparations from Israel, and if so, for what reasons?
How should Palestine and Israel cooperate to maintain their economic and financial integrity?
What can ECOFIN do to aid the crippled Palestinian economy?
Should Palestinian fishermen be allowed to fish in their territorial waters freely?
How can ECOFIN balance the security concerns of Israel while allowing Palestine to prosper?
According to what borders should the Palestinian people have sovereignty over their natural
resources from?
Further Resources
http://www.un.org/press/en/2015/gaef3430.doc.htm
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=11292
http://i.stack.imgur.com/hFZd0.jpg
https://prezi.com/fdnq1yyuqqma/palestinian-sovereignty-over-natural-resources/
http://www.un.org/press/en/2015/gaef3439.doc.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r1EmEni2Rw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wo2TLlMhiw
http://www.un.org/en/ga/second/
http://www.ifamericansknew.org/history/
http://www.jstor.org/stable/2537178?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
12
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14