Luxembourg, 21/10/2002 (Agence Europe) - At the meeting of the EU/Israel Association Council, in Luxembourg on Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister, Shimon Peres said that Israel was in favour of the "roadmap approach" for peace in the Middle East presented by the Quartet (EU, United States, Russia, UN). "It is essential to move swiftly on this roadmap", stressed Council President Per Stig Moeller, expressing the feeling of the Europeans who would like to move quickly to the operational phase as defined on 17 September by the Quartet. Shimon Peres said that Israel was prepared to release customs and VAT revenue due to the Palestinian Authorities, if a mechanism is set up to check whether the funds are not being used to finance terrorism. Israel is also prepared to open up the border to Palestinians working in Israel. "We have decided to dismantle the settlements, using force for that if need be and we shall not authorise new settlements", he said.
In a unilateral declaration adopted at the end of the Association Council, the EU expresses in somewhat tough language its concern over the human rights situation in the Middle East. It states that: "Israel's concerns regarding security are legitimate, but must be dealt with while fully respecting human rights and the rule of law. The EU calls on Israel to immediately cease activities contrary to international humanitarian law and human rights, like extra-judicial executions, and avoid any collective punitive actions like the demolition of Palestinian houses, as well as the lifting of the sealing off of the area and curfew and not to deport family members. Furthermore, the "EU firmly states that there can be no justification for direct military actions indiscriminately affecting civilians". "The settlement, including around east Jerusalem, must cease immediately. There is no connection between settlement activities and Israel's security needs", the EU further states, deploring the fact that "humanitarian projects and projects intended to improve living conditions in the Palestinian Territories, cannot be implemented as Israel is blocking access for the personnel necessary for these projects". Reiterating the criticisms raised in a letter the Spanish Presidency sent to Israel in January 2002, the declaration stresses that "the EU is extremely concerned by the systematic destruction of Palestinian infrastructures, including those financed by the EU and other donors, which hamper the economic, social and humanitarian development of Palestinians. Such destruction is preventing the very reforms Israel itself is calling for".