- Aix Group
The Aix Group is a unique working group that researches, produces and disseminates position papers that seek to identify economic scenarios and propose economic recommendations, in order to promote win-win outcomes for
Palestinians andIsraelis .The group includes
Israeli ,Palestinian and International economic experts, academics, members of economic organizations, and officials from international institutions, including theWorld Bank , theInternational Monetary Fund and theEuropean Union , who participate in the Aix Group in their personal capacities.Mission
The Aix Group was formed in 2002 under the auspices of the
Université Paul Cézanne-Aix-Marseille III in France, and in coordination with thePeres Center for Peace inIsrael andDATA Center for Studies and Research in thePalestinian Authority .Many of the group members are highly experienced professionals coming from various academic and non-academic well-known institutions, offering their significant experience in the fields of trade, economics, finance, urban planning, labor and manufacturing policies. Besides those local professionals, international participants from various well known organizations offered their knowledge and experience.
Position Papers
Stage 1: [http://www.aixgroup.org/economicroadmap.pdf "Economic Road Map"]
The Aix Group published its first joint Palestinian-Israeli-International position paper in January 2004, entitled "Economic Road Map". The joint research paper aims to establish an economic counterpart to the
Road Map for Peace. The paper concentrates on economic arrangements associated with Phase III of theRoad Map , since the group believes that the economic content of Phases I and II can only be determined correctly if a clear vision of permanent status arrangements first exists.In accordance with the
Road Map , the paper assumes the emergence of atwo state solution embodyingPalestinian economic sovereignty , unambiguous borders and the conduct of economic relations in a spirit of cooperation and mutuality. The group's economic vision of permanent status is based on economic arrangements that will seek a convergence ofPalestinian living standards with those ofIsrael , and promote independence in economic policy-making while acknowledging economic interdependency.Central to the discussion is a recognition that future
Palestinian economic strategy can no longer afford to rely so heavily on the export of labor and remittance income. It is unlikely that the number ofPalestinians working inIsrael will again approach historical levels; moreover, domesticPalestinian production and exports are compromised by the upward pressure on domestic wages and prices exerted by higherIsraeli wage levels.Accordingly the group assessed future policy options in the trade, labor, fiscal, monetary and investment policy areas.
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Stage 2: [http://www.aixgroup.org/between_disengagement_and_the_ERM.pdf "Israel and Palestine: Between Disengagement and the Economic Road Map"]
In this stage of research, the Aix Group researched and analyzed the risks and opportunities associated with the Unilateral
Disengagement Plan , implemented byIsrael in August 2005. Published in May 2005, the position paper sought to assess the conditions that would be created by thedisengagement and analyze how they would affect the economic prospects for recovery of thePalestinian economy. Moreover, the group aimed at finding the conditions necessary to link the disengagement to the scenarios presented by the group in their earlier position paper - the Economic Road Map.In this paper, the Aix Group recognized the potential for a positive context for the
disengagement , in light of the mutually declared policy to consider avenues for improving the economic situation in thePalestinian Authority . However, the group was also aware of the significant risks associated with the implementation of such disengagement; the new arrangements, which ended theIsraeli presence in Gaza and the northernWest Ba nk, significantly altered thePalestinian Authority 's links toIsrael and the rest of the world, thereby affecting various economic capacities of thePalestinian Authority .Although the
Disengagement Plan stated that the economic arrangements in effect at the time (theParis Protocol ) would remain valid, the group demonstrates that certain parts of the plan suggest otherwise. From an economic point of view, the group foresaw that theGaza Strip would have very restricted economic links to theIsraeli market, theWest Bank ,Egypt and other foreign markets. Moreover, the group warned that if an extreme version of the plan was implemented, (that being a plan which included closed external borders for theGaza Strip ),Gaza would turn into an isolated and economically weak region.In its conclusions, the group proposed that if the
Disengagement Plan fell within the parameters set by theRoad M ap, as its architects claimed, the new arrangements would not lead to an economic regime in theGaza Strip that differs from that in theWest Bank , nor to separating theGaza Strip from theWest Bank .----
Stage 3: "Exploring the Economic Dimensions of a 'Two State' Final Status Agreement"
During February 2006, the Aix Group officially marked the commencement of its third stage of research with a four-day conference in
Marseille, France . The Aix Group will be divided into four working groups:(1) Cooperation inInfrastructure ; (2) Cooperation inJerusalem ; (3)Refugees ; and (4) "Fast Track". These groups will meet in the Middle East and abroad over a two-year period.The topics selected for analysis and investigation by the Aix Group have been chosen precisely because they are issues of major importance that will help to determine future peace negotiations and will ultimately form the basis for a just and lasting peace agreement in this region. Additionally, such issues have not been sufficiently examined and investigated. Indeed, the non-resolution of such issues will make the creation of a final agreement impossible. Therefore, the Aix Group's examination of these important issues is a vital link in the chain toward political and economic development in the region.
Steering Committee
The Steering Committee of the Aix Group has five members:
Prof.
Gilbert Benhayoun - Director of the CEREFI, Université Paul Cézanne-Aix-Marseille III, and Chairman of the Aix Group.Mr.
Saeb Bamya - Palestinian Coordinator of the Aix Group.Prof.
Arie Arnon - Prof. of Economics at Ben Gurion University and Israeli coordinator of the Aix Group.Dr.
Ron Pundak - Director General, The Peres Center for Peace.Dr.
Samir Hazboun - Executive Director, DATA Center for Studies and ResearchReferences
All content on this page has been copied verbatim from the [http://www.aixgroup.org Aix Group webpage] with permission granted by the Aix Group coordinators who have released this content for redistribution under the
GNU Free Documentation License .External links
* [http://www.aixgroup.org Aix Group]
* [http://europa.eu/ European Union]
* [http://www.imf.org International Monetary Fund]
* [http://www.peres-center.org Peres Center for Peace]
* [http://www.univ-cezanne.fr/cgi-bin/WebObjects/SiteAix Université Paul Cézanne-Aix-Marseille III]
* [http://www.worldbank.org World Bank]
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