This paper seeks to address the persistent problem of integrating democracy and good governance approaches as universal values into external policy-making. To this end, the EU´s state-building policies towards Palestine have been chosen as a case study. Palestine, presently not a sovereign state represents a case of international large-scale peace-building endeavor in a post Cold War context. The Palestinian case is insofar crucial for policy makers as it offers insights into democratization policies where there is no sovereign state to address. Instead, democratic structures and good governance have been established by the EU and the international community as a precondition for its very emergence.
The EU´s role among these actors as democracy promoter, state- and peace-builder is therefore interesting as the rationale of its very inception was the establishment of peace. It is a unique example of a Union of sovereign states being built on a territory whose inhabitants have been going to war with each other throughout history.
Drawing against this background the paper considers it valid to ask the question of what the EU does regarding the defence/ proliferation of its founding principles in its external relations, especially in an area of geographical proximity such as the Middle East which is troubled by the violent conflict between Arab states and Israel and particular between Palestinians and Israelis.
The explicit goal of this analysis is therefore to offer insight into how the EU embeds its external democratization agenda into the state- and peace-building approach applied in Palestine and on which notions these activities rest. Thereby it looks at the EU´s engagement starting in 2003 when democracy and good governance promotion in Palestine have gained popularity within the international donor community. Thereby the paper exclusively deals with Community policies and does not consider bilateral actions by its Member States. It seeks to shed light on the dynamics between the underlying theoretical concepts of the peace-building project in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in order to find out if or up to which extent they are compatible with the EU´s commitment to external democratization. Therefore the main research question is:
“Is the democracy/ good governance support in Palestine by the EU an adequate means to promote peace in the Middle East?”
Table of Contents
1. ABSTRACT
1.1. Structure and Method
1.2. Background of International Peace-building in Palestine
1.2.1. The Oslo Peace Process
1.2.2. The Post-Oslo Period
1.2.2.1. Domestic Frictions
1.2.2.2. The Conflict Today
2. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
2.1. The State
2.1.1. The Concept of the State
2.2. Peace
2.2.1. Negative and Positive Peace
2.3. Peace-building and State-building: Dependent on Each Other?
2.3.1. Peace-building
2.3.2. State-building
2.3.3. Peace-building through State-building Paradigm
2.4. Democracy and Peace: A Causal Relationship?
2.4.1. Democracy
2.4.2. Democratization
2.4.3. Democratic Peace Paradigm
2.5. Evaluation of Theoretical Framework
3. THE EU´s CONCEPTION OF DEMOCRACY PROMOTION
3.1. Democratization and Democracy in primary EU sources
3.2. Classification
4. PALESTINE AND THE EU
4.1. Characterizing the OPT
4.2. Theoretical Foundations of EU Democracy Promotion in the OPT
4.3. Overview: EU Partnership with Palestine
4.4. Instruments
4.4.1. Quartet
4.4.2. Supranational Policies
4.4.3. Intergovernmental Policies
4.5. Problematic Areas
4.5.1. Focus: Security Sector
4.5.2. Focus: Palestinian Domestic Split
4.5.3. The Occupation and EU-Israeli relations
5. RESUMEE
6. CONCLUSION
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines how the European Union integrates its external democratization agenda into its state- and peace-building strategies within the Occupied Palestinian Territories. By analyzing EU policy documents and engagement starting from 2003, it questions whether the EU's focus on democracy and good governance is an effective approach to promoting sustainable peace, given the structural constraints of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
- The theoretical nexus between peace-building and state-building.
- The democratic peace paradigm as a rationale for external democracy promotion.
- EU instruments for institutional and civil society support in Palestine.
- The dilemma between democratization goals and security/stability interests.
- The impact of the Israeli occupation on the efficacy of EU reforms.
Excerpt from the Book
1.2.2.2. The Conflict Today
With an Israeli state continuing to hold Palestinian land under military occupation and building Jewish settlements on Palestinian territory in the West Bank the quest for self-determination continues to be denied to the Palestinians (Frisch 2012). Despite the long stalemate in the peace process the two state solution continues to be the conceptual basis for a future peace agreement.
Today the conflict in Palestine is two-dimensional: Its first component is the asymmetric conflict between Palestinians and the state of Israel, the latter being - as the occupying force in the Palestinian territories- the main inhibitor of Palestinian national sovereignty. The second component is the Palestinian domestic conflict taking place essentially between Fatah and Hamas and their respective supporters, adding to the geographical split of the Palestinian territories a political one. In April 2011 a reconciliation agreement between Hamas and Fatah has been signed, but underlying tensions transfer into rivalries between the parties.
Summary of Chapters
1. ABSTRACT: Provides an overview of the paper's intent to evaluate EU state-building and democracy promotion in the Palestinian territories within the post-Cold War context.
2. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK: Defines core concepts including the state, positive/negative peace, and the theoretical arguments linking state-building with democratization.
3. THE EU´s CONCEPTION OF DEMOCRACY PROMOTION: Examines how the EU defines its role in democracy promotion through analysis of primary policy documents and its strategic interests.
4. PALESTINE AND THE EU: Analyzes the implementation of EU policies in the OPT, the instruments used, and the significant challenges faced, including the Israeli occupation and internal political divisions.
5. RESUMEE: Synthesizes the finding that the EU's approach is theoretically flawed due to the unresolved dilemma between prioritizing stability/security and fostering genuine democratic reform.
6. CONCLUSION: Finalizes the argument that current EU support in Palestine is not an adequate means to promote peace, characterizing its commitment as largely rhetorical.
Keywords
European Union, Palestine, State-building, Peace-building, Democracy Promotion, Democratization, Oslo Accords, Good Governance, Rule of Law, Palestinian Authority, Conflict Resolution, Security Sector Reform, Two-state solution, European Neighborhood Policy, Middle East.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper explores the effectiveness of the European Union's strategy to promote democracy and good governance within the context of its peace- and state-building efforts in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The research covers the conceptual links between state-building and peace, the democratic peace paradigm, EU foreign policy instruments, and the specific challenges of the Palestinian political landscape.
What is the central research question?
The main question asks whether the EU's democracy and good governance support in Palestine is actually an adequate or effective means to promote peace in the Middle East.
Which academic and political methodologies are utilized?
The paper employs a combination of scientific literature review for the theoretical framework and the analysis of primary sources, such as EU policy documents and official statements, for the empirical assessment.
What does the main body address regarding EU strategies?
The main body investigates the various instruments used by the EU, including the Quartet mandate, supranational neighborhood policies, and intergovernmental CSDP missions, while highlighting the inherent problems in their application.
Which keywords best characterize the study?
Key terms include European Union, State-building, Peace-building, Democracy Promotion, Democratization, Good Governance, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
How does the author view the "sequencing concept" in state-building?
The author discusses the debate between those advocating for institutionalization before democratization and those who fear this approach leads to autocratic rule, ultimately questioning the "sequencing" model.
What impact does the "domestic split" have on EU policies?
The split between Fatah and Hamas, particularly after the 2006 elections, created a dilemma for the EU, forcing it to navigate between its rhetoric of supporting democratic outcomes and its political refusal to engage with Hamas.
- Citar trabajo
- Anja Tuchtenhagen (Autor), 2013, Peace-building through State-building. EU Strategies towards the Palestinian Territories and the Role of Democracy, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/337955
