Brussels, 17/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - Before the Easter break, the Swedish Presidency of the EU Council published a further declaration deploring the spiral of violence in the Middle East (before the latest escalation of the past few days). Here is the text in full:
"The Presidency of the EU deplores the dangerous and dramatic escalation of violence on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Presidency looks with particular concern upon the Israeli attack on the Palestinian refugee camp of Khan Yunis in the Gaza Strip on April 10. This attack seems to mark a change in the Israeli tactics, constituting the first large-scale incursion by Israeli forces into Palestinian-ruled territory. The Presidency also looks very seriously upon the repeated mortar-attacks from Palestinian administered territories against Israeli civilian targets. Every effort has to be made to stop the escalation of violence, and both sides are urged to take immediate steps to stop the bloodshed. It is not conducive to a solution that both parties persist in the unfortunate conviction that it is the other party that bears full responsibility or the violence and the present impasse in the peace process. The Presidency is concerned about the verbal incitement, and urges the parties to exercise restraint.
The Presidency welcomes the renewed security cooperation between the parties and hopes that these talks will lead to an increased level of trust at this critical point in time. The European Union remains at the disposal of the two parties should they so wish."
In addition, the Parliamentary Association for Euro-Arab Cooperation (PAEAC) has published a press release in which it says that it is "appalled by the aggressive policy of the present Israeli Government". The PAEAC notes that, these past few weeks, "the number of violations of international law has increased dramatically: non-respect of UN-resolutions, plans for the extension of settlements, bombing of civilian population, arbitrary closure of towns and villages, demolition of houses in autonomous Palestinian territory, obstacles to the transport of humanitarian aid, etc.". The attack of a post of the Syrian army in Lebanon "is proof of a dangerous policy which could destabilise the whole region", says the association (that brings together parliamentarians from EU and Arab countries), which "is concerned by the passivity of the United Nations and by the insufficient involvement of the European Union". It thus "calls on the Swedish Presidency to take initiatives which could lead to an end of hostilities and the resumption of peace negotiations", and demands that the EU "ensures the respect of the provisions of the EU-Israeli Partnership Agreement concerning the respect of international law and human rights". Finally, the PAEAC again calls on the EU to "call an end to the violation of the rules of origin for products made in the Israeli settlements", considered as illegal in international law.