COPENHAGEN, Feb. 8, 2025 (EIRNS)—On Feb. 5, UN Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territories Francesca Albanese gave a press conference at UN City in Copenhagen, which was livestreamed on many international platforms. Executive Intelligence Review posed the first question of implementing LaRouche’s “Oasis Plan” in Southwest Asia, including statehood for Palestine. Albanese stated forcefully in her opening presentation, and in answer to the EIR question, that all nations are required to stop the genocide that is ongoing in the Palestinian Occupied Territories, that Israel must withdraw from these areas, and that Palestine must be recognized as an independent nation. The video, audio and transcript are posted to the Schiller Institute in Denmark website.
In clarification about EIR's Oasis Plan Question and Answer: EIR Correspondent Michelle Rasmussen, in the first question, described the nature of the LaRouche Oasis Plan for peace and development, but due to audio problems, Ms. Albanese thought that the question was about the “U.S. Plan” for the region, which she denounced.
What follows is the full EIR question on the Oasis Plan, and also a second question; and certain of the replies by Ms. Albanese. The Schiller Institute provided a description of the Oasis Plan to audience members.
EIR: “I have a question about implementing an Oasis Plan for peace through economic development, and connecting a political solution to an economic solution. My magazine Executive Intelligence Review and its founding editor Lyndon LaRouche proposed in 1975, and afterwards, an Oasis Plan for cooperation between an independent Palestine, Israel, the region, and others, now including the Chinese, for water desalination, new water transfer canals and other modern infrastructure. Do you think something like this could help break the cycle of violence and hate, by creating a future vision of cooperation for the benefit of everyone, which can help pave the path from genocide to peace, and give people hope? …
“You said in an interview after the ceasefire agreement, that Palestine is a test for humanity for what we want to do next. Can you comment on the need for international cooperation for reconstruction and economic development, including something like an Oasis Plan, to ensure a decent future for the Palestinians?”
In the first question Francesca Albanese, thinking EIR was asking about the “U.S. Plan”—rather than about the “Oasis Plan”—eloquently said, in short, that the way to stop the cycle of violence was for Israel to vacate the Occupied Territories, and that an economic perspective has not worked.
Further, in response to EIR’s second question about her reaction to President Trump’s call for the U.S. to take over Gaza and remove all the Palestinians, Albanese said: “It’s unlawful, immoral and completely irresponsible … nonsense…. It’s incitement to commit forced displacement, which is an international crime.” There has been significant international coverage of her answer.
Here is an excerpt of Albanese’s response: “For decades, for decades, the international community has treated the question of Palestine as something that could be managed in perpetuity, through means of development, economic incentives, and encouraging growth, whatever it means; or managing it as a humanitarian crisis. And frankly, after, let’s say, at least the 56, 57, but, in fact, it’s 76 years, it doesn’t work.
“And you know why? Because, of course, economic development must happen! Of course, cooperation is necessary, but not at the expense of fundamental rights and freedoms. Which is what, Israel, the United States, more openly than ever, and others seem to expect that the Palestinians will accept. Like all indigenous people in the world, the Palestinians will never surrender. They will fight and they will resist. When I say ‘fight,’ I do not mean armed resistance. They will fight for recognition of their rights and their dignity.
“And so, no—the short answer is ‘no.’ Economic peace through economic development is expectation of surrender. And it will not work, because everyone has the right to be free, and to, again, self-determination as a people. This is a collective right.”
