Brussels, 13/11/2003 (Agence Europe) - In view of the EU/Israel Association Council in Brussels on 18 November in Brussels, the International Federation for Human Rights and the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Organisation, together with the WTO have addressed a letter to the Council, the High Representative and the Commission to express their worries about the constant deterioration in the human rights situation in the Palestinian territories and the situation for the Arab minority in Israel. The human rights organisations pointed out that Article 2 of the Association Agreement makes respect for these right an "essential" element in the EU/Israel cooperation and also indicated that the European Commission communication of May 2001 on human rights affirms that if third countries refuse to cooperate to defend these rights, "negative measures would be appropriate".