Brussels, 08/01/2002 (Agence Europe) - Francis Wurtz, President of the United Left/Nordic Greens Left at the European Parliament, wrote to Nicole Fontaine, President of the European Parliament, calling upon her to inform the Israeli authorities of its "strong condemnation of the incidents on 2 January against Doctor Barghuti and of the European observers around him, as well as the European Parliament's determination to see an end to the harassment of pacifist activists, whether Israeli or Palestinian". Mr Wurtz points out that, on 2 January, an "incident heavy in significance" occurred in Jerusalem East where Doctor Mustapha Barghuti, President of the Palestinian Medical Rescue services and coordinator of Palestinian NGOs was arrested by Israeli police on two occasions, and "molested". The very many European observers present at his side, including Maria Luisa Morgantini, President of the EP/Council Palestinian legislative delegation, "were brutally dispersed by tear gas", he said. Also, while the reason given by the Israeli authorities was the fact that Mr Barghuti, who lives in Ramallah, had gone to Jerusalem without authorisation, Mr Wurtz recalls that "'East Jerusalem is the Palestinian part of the town over which the international community does not recognise any Israeli sovereignty". Above all, he notes that the real reason for these attacks is that Dr Barghuti is considered as "a troublemaker" because of his work alongside the peace forces in Israel.