By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, September 23 -- After the Palestinian Authority, the World Bank and others reported to the 18-year old Ad Hoc Liaison Committee on Palestine Sunday at the UN, Inner City Press asked Norway's foreign minister Espen Barth Eide about water and, more generally, Area C.
Click here to view the Palestine Water Authority's report.Click here for Inner City Press photo from the stakeout.
Espen Barth Eide replied that Area C received "strong attention" from "everyone who took the floor," and that it was to be managed by Israel for "transfer back to Palestine."
He said there have been some improvements, "but not enough to the view of the majority of the donors." He said "institution building" has been a success, but economic development has been held back.
Economic development was one of the tasks of Tony Blair, who in the meanwhile has taken paying gigs for JP Morgan Chase and others.
So what is being accomplished on these issues? When Palestine's finance minister spoke next, Inner City Press asked him how Palestine's request for UN Observer State status would impact on any of the issues discussed in the Ad Hoc group.
That was not discussed in the Ad Hoc group meeting, he said. Minutes later, Israel's representative, after mentioning Area C, said that the way forward is certainly not through the UN. Watch this site.
