Strasbourg, 17/05/2001 (Agence Europe) - By adopting a joint resolution (253 in favour, 138 against and 55 abstentions) tabled by the EPP-ED, PES, ELDR, Green/EFA and GUE/NGL groups on the situation in the Middle East, the European Parliament urges all parties concerned to put an end to the violence. It condemns the "illegal incursions of the Israeli army" into the Gaze Strip and the West Bank and the extension of settlements in the occupied territories, and calls on the Palestinian Authority to do all it can to combat terrorism and "control extremist elements". Expressing its backing for the Mitchell Commission report and the Jordan-Egyptian initiative, Parliament also urges all countries of the Middle East to cooperate effectively against terrorist networks (for the debate, see yesterday's EUROPE, p.3).
In concrete terms, the resolution calls:
on the European Council of Gothenburg to adopt a "common EU strategy" on the Middle East, on the basis of Mr. Solana's proposals, in cooperation with Mr. Moratinos;
on the Council and Commission to evaluate the violations that constitute the disproportionate use of force by the Israeli army (which, says the resolution, does not comply with the principles of the EU/Israeli Association Agreement) and to draw the necessary conclusions;
on the Commission and Member States to take "decisive measures" (254 in favour, 149 against and 55 abstentions) so as "to avoid any indirect complicity in the illegal settlement activity", and to remedy any violation by Israel of the rules of origin provided for by the EU/Israel Trade Agreement;
on Member States to propose to the UN Security Council to send an observer mission to the Palestinian Territories.
The Israeli Co-Chair of the EP/Knesset Inter-parliamentary delegation deplores certain
aspects of the European Parliament resolution
The Co-chairs of the inter-parliamentary delegation for relations with Israel, Mr. Galeote Qucedo (Partido popular, Spanish) and Ms. Dayan (Labour Party) spoke, at a press conference, of their support for the proposals of the Mitchell Commission (the first example of joint effort between the Union and the United States in rekindling the peace process in the Middle East, Mr. Galeote observed). Six months ago, we almost "reached peace", said Ms. Dayan: it is now further away but remains the only possible solution. To achieve it, both parties must accept compromises, and the Union can contribute to that effort, but not under the terms of the European Parliament's resolution. The EP is not an international tribunal, it has not to lay all the responsibility for the breakdown in the peace process at our feet, said Ms. Dayan, stipulating that she was "on speaking terms" with Yasser Arafat and the Palestinians. We recognise that the situation of the Palestinians is intolerable, said the Israeli parliamentarian, but we ask them to put an end to the acts of terrorism that prevent any return to the negotiating table.