Strasbourg, 10/04/2002 (Agence Europe) - By 269 to 208 with 22 abstentions the European Parliament on Wednesday adopted a resolution by the PES, ELDR, Greens/EFA and GUE/NGL calling for the immediate suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, thus going much further than suggested in the initial text (that simply called on Commission and Council to see how best to use all the instruments are their disposal, including the Association Agreement). After several separate votes, a separate document was adopted (by 246 to 216 with 13 abstentions) in which the EP calls on Commission and Council to suspend the EU-Israel EuroMed Agreement. The EP also calls for the urgent convening of the Association Council.
The EP supports UN Security Council Resolutions 1397, 1402 and 1403 calling for the withdrawal of the Israeli army from Palestinian territories including Ramallah. It demands the immediate implementation of the resolutions and a cessation of all violence. It slams suicide attacks by Palestinian terrorists and calls on the Palestinian Authority to redouble its efforts to prevent terrorism. The EP condemns the Sharon government's military escalation violating international and humanitarian laws and failing to provide any real solution to terrorist attacks, and condemns the oppression of the Palestinian civilian population by the Israeli army and the systematic destruction of infrastructure in the West Bank. It says that Yasser Arafat must be allowed freedom of movement. In terms of Sharon's refusal to allow an EU delegation to meet Arafat, the EP says that the offensive way the EU delegation was treated marks a turning point in Israel's relations with the EU and calls for the sending of an international interposition and observation force and calls on Member States to prepare to contribute to the force. The EP calls on the Council to impose an embargo on the delivery of arms to Israel and Palestine. It welcomed the acceptance by the Arab League of the Saudi proposal that should form the basis of discussion for a sustainable peace agreement. It roundly criticised recent anti-Jewish acts in Europe and expressed its support for Israelis, Palestinians and international organisations acting for peace at all levels, including the Israeli soldiers who are refusing to serve in the Occupied Territories (amendment by Frassoni, Morgantini, Wurtz and Cohn-Bendit). It calls on Israel to guarantee free media access to the Occupied Territories and to allow the EU's diplomatic and consular authorities to contact EU nationals in the region.
Before the vote, Hans-Gert Pöttering (CDU) said that most of the EPP-ED group would be voting against the resolution although some of them had told him they would be voting in favour. He argued the resolution was unbalanced because it does not call on Arafat to condemn terrorism in Arabic and does not call for monitoring of the use of the aid sent by the EU to the Palestinians. EUROPE points out that Arafat has already made statements of this nature, and that most of the EU's aid for Palestine is sent through programmes monitored by other organisations like the IMF and UNESCO.
During the debate on Tuesday Chris Patten asked "How have we come to this?" after the Oslo accords of almost ten years ago. "Suicide bombings are totally unacceptable … Wrong always. Wrong everywhere. I would have wished Arab leaders to be more outspoken in their condemnation of such acts and to wok more actively to prevent young people from taking such extreme action", adding that "Israel, a democratic state that takes pride in its democracy… has consistently behaved in a way which contradicts much that it stands for". "The current Israeli response.. seems not only to be aimed at the elimination of terror but the elimination of the Palestinian Authority and any achievements of the Oslo accords". Mr Patten said we must " implore Israel to uphold international humanitarian law, in particular the Fourth Geneva Convention, must urge Israel to desist from denying medical services to those in need…" "However, Israel does not appear to be listening to any outside voice", regretted the Commissioner, adding that the EU General Affairs Council on Monday "will want to consider the gravity of the situation and discuss how we can make our concern felt in Israel. We want to keep open the channels for dialogue with Israel - this is what President Prodi has in mind. However, Israel has to show for once that it is listening… that it will explore all avenues to peace, not just stick to a military approach".
General Philippe Morillon (UDF, France) said that currently one could not fail to support the firm position of the US President, the only person who has influence on Ariel Sharon. Morillon called on the Council and Commission to use all means, not ruling out suspension of the Association Agreement, and called on Member States' governments to prepare without delay their country's participation in an interposition force if the UN Security Council agreed to it. The majority of French Socialists want the Agreement to be suspended, pointed out Pervenche Berès. Jannis Sakellariou (SPD) called for ambassadors to be recalled and for a ban on arms exports to Israel, as did Swedish Liberal Cecilia Malström and Nelly Maes (EFA, Belgium), who added that a ban was not enough since the Palestinians needed water, bread and dignity. Israel doesn't seem to care about its reputation, said Ulla Sandback, Danish member of Union for a Europe of Democracies and Diversities said that she had lived in Israel for two years (1966 and 1967) and knew that Israelis respected money, so economic sanctions had to be imposed.
Protection troops should immediately be sent, but also civilians, said Swedish Green Per Gahrton, asking what they were afraid of? Spanish Socialist Emilio Menendez del Valle bitterly commented that Sharon is thinking of war and is in the process of radicalising an entire generation of Palestinians. Sharon promised the Israelis security but is giving them the opposite, explained German Social Democrat Hartmut Nassauer, although he said Yasser Arafat was responsible for the escalation of violence. Gerard Collins (Irish Fianna Fail MEP) said that Arafat was the only Palestinian leader that Israel could negotiate with. He called for mediators to be sent and condemned recent anti-Jewish attacks (as did Pasqualina Napoletano (DS, Italy) and Mariotto Segni (Patto Segni, Italy)). Elmar Brok (CDU, President of the EP's Foreign Affairs Committee) said that what they were seeing was two peoples battling it out for the existence, adding that was important not to try and work out who had thrown the first stone, but to try and convince both sides that the time to stop had arrived and that there was still a chance of assuring the safety of both sides.
Javier Solana says international presence is needed
Responding to MEPs' questions, Javier Solana said that the Madrid meeting on Wednesday would adopt a strategy to get the UN Resolutions fully implemented, stop the destruction of the Palestinian Authority and provide an effective international presence. Solana didn't hide his "doubt" and "pessimism", noting the failure of the Mitchell and Tenet plans to make gradual progress because neither side could implement them on their own. Recognising that he did not have a "miracle" in his pocket, he called for a plan that could be implemented quicker. On the Beirut Resolution, he said it was vital for this pledge, this outstretched hand from the Arab world, to become a Security Council Resolution.
The Spanish European Affairs Minister Ramon de Miguel said that the Association Council emergency meeting Pique had called for would review the EU's relations with Israel. He pointed out that a unanimous Council decision was required to suspend Association Agreements and hoped that the EP's resolution would appeal to all the conscience of all governments.