On Tuesday 14 February, MEPs called on High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, who was not present at their debate, to do more for peace in the Middle East.
"There are things that can be done on both sides to move things forward on the ground. It is important to communicate with the Israelis and Palestinians, and to influence the process so that it remains credible", Victor Bostinaru (S&D, Romania) said, adding that it was important "to be firm, to criticise when this is necessary, but also to be constructive". He also called on Mogherini to organise a Quartet meeting (UN, EU, Russia and USA) "as soon as possible" to see what measures had to be taken.
His fellow countryman Cristian Dan Preda (EPP, Romania) believed the EU should not only focus on the issue of settlements – the debate was renamed "Situation in the West Bank, especially the settlements" when it was initially called "Outlook for resumption of peace negotiations in the Middle East" – because the conflict has many facets, including security, borders, Jerusalem, refugees etc. In Preda's view, focusing on the settlements will only "reduce the chances of being a credible partner for finding a solution to the conflict". "We are seen as biased. That is why we have a minor role. It is important to be more subtle and to abandon the idea that if we are 100%, and sometimes 200% (pro) Palestinian, we will resolve something", he added.
"In April 2003, the Quartet defined a roadmap for peace. Fourteen years later, the two-state solution is further away than it has ever been", Hilde Vautmans (ALDE, Belgium) stated. In her opinion, "it is only with concrete measures that we will be able to change things. It is important to show that, on both sides, international law must be respected, otherwise peace and the two-state solution will remain a utopia". She than addressed several questions to Mogherini, especially on bilateral relations with Israel. Several MEPs, such as Neoklis Sylikiotis (GUE/NGL, Cyprus), asked for the EU-Israel association agreement to be suspended. "It is important to exert pressure to bring the settlements and occupation to an end, and to move in the direction of a two-state solution. To begin with, the [EU-Israel] association agreement needs to be frozen", Sylikiotis said. In the view of Margrete Auken (Greens/EFA, Denmark), calling a meeting of this Association Council, which should take place in the coming months (see EUROPE 11720), could be taken as a "reward" for the settlements policy. "When will the EU recognise Palestine as a state?", she asked, adding that "this would send a message of hope". Fabio Massimo Castaldo (EFDD, Italy) also wanted Mogherini to ask all the member states to recognise Palestine as a state. "Will we have the courage to defend what is fair, and not just what is easy?", he asked his counterparts. Other MEPs also called for real implementation of the labelling of products from the settlements.
Bas Belder (ECR, Netherlands) and Marcus Pretzell (ENF, Germany) both criticised the constructions financed by European funds on occupied Palestinian territory under Israeli administration. Belder said this jeopardised Israel's security. "Instead of supporting the negotiations, the EU is responsible for the stalemate situation we are in", he said. A number of their colleagues denounced Israel's demolition of buildings, asking what had happened to the EU's process of demanding compensation (see EUROPE 11543). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)