A/HRC/22/63 economic standards will be equally applied to all communities everywhere.‖ 57 (6 July) 2001 • Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (2001-2006) presents to the Knesset his basic policy guidelines. The eighth national goal (out of ten) is: ―To strengthen, expand, and promote settlement throughout the country.‖ The settlement policy follows the same line of the prior Government: ―2.9 During its term of office, the Government will not establish new settlements. The Government will provide for ongoing needs in the development of existing settlements.‖ 58 (7 March). • Fifty one new settlements with no Government authorization (―outposts‖) are reported to have been built between March 2001 and June 2004.59 • The US led Sharm El-Sheikh Fact-Finding Committee Report, known as the ―Mitchell Report‖, is presented. It says that ―[d]uring our last visit, we observed the impact of 6,400 settlers on 140,000 Palestinians in Hebron and 6,500 settlers on over 1,100,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip (...) we note that many of the confrontations (…) occurred at points where Palestinians, settlers, and security forces protecting the settlers, meet (...) restrictions on the movement of people and goods in the West Bank and Gaza Strip (closures) [have resulted in the] destruction by Israeli security forces and settlers of tens of thousands of olive and fruit trees and other agricultural property. The closures have had other adverse effects, such as preventing civilians from access to urgent medical treatment and preventing students from attending school. • The report recommends that the Government of Israel ―freeze all settlement activity, including the "natural growth" of existing settlements (…); lift closures, transfer to the PA all tax revenues owed, and permit Palestinians who had been employed in Israel to return to their jobs; and should ensure that security forces and settlers refrain from the destruction of homes and roads, as well as trees and other agricultural property in Palestinian areas, [and that it] take all necessary steps to prevent acts of violence by settlers.‖60 (30 April) 2002 • The total reported number of settlements built with no Government authorization (―outposts‖) increases to 93.61 (July). 57 58 59 60 61 Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs ―Guidelines of the Government of Israel, Basic Guidelines of the Government of Israel, Jerusalem, July 6, 1999‖ www.mfa.gov.il Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs ―Guidelines of the Government of Israel, Basic Guidelines of the Government of Israel, Jerusalem, March 7, 2001‖ www.mfa.gov.il Foundation for Middle East Peace, ―Settlement Outposts Continue to Thrive under Sharon Administration‖, Settlement Report, Vol. 14 No. 4, July-August 2004 Sharm El-Sheikh Fact-Finding Committee Report ―Mitchell Report‖ April 30, 2001. By Suleyman Demirel, Thorbjoern Jagland, Warren B. Rudman, Javier Solana and George J Mitchell (Chairman). Peace Now, First petitions against the outposts. http://peacenow.org.il/eng/content/first-petitionsagainst-outposts 35