Brussels, 06/12/2005 (Agence Europe) - With a view to the EU-Israel Association Council on 12 December in Brussels, the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN) has published a report which takes stock of the human rights situation in Israel and in areas under its authority. The report stresses the striking lack of consistency between the EU's declarative diplomacy on sound legal bases and its operational diplomacy. It calls on the EU to put respect of human rights and international humanitarian law at the centre of its efforts to reactivate the Middle East peace process. The report highlights the fact that, despite its recognition of Israel's violations of Palestinian human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and discrimination towards the Palestinian Arab minority in Israel, the EU is seeking to circumvent its human rights obligations arising from its agreements with Israel, by concluding “practical arrangements” allowing Israel to pursue its “internationally illegal practices”. The EMHRN notes two such practices during the 2004-2005 period: - a “technical arrangement” on customs cooperation which aims to prevent having to resort to a legal solution to the bilateral problem between Israel and the EU on the matter of rules of origin, and an informal arrangement for eliminating the visible participation of research companies based in Israeli colonies in the EU Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development.
A delegation composed of Israeli and Palestinian activists working in the field of human rights is to be in Brussels from 5 to 7 December to meet a large number of representatives from EU institutions and in order to present the report. The delegation will be in London on 8 and 9 December to present the report to the British EU Presidency. EMHRN plans to thus enhance its demand for a public follow-up mechanism (for Israel and all countries of the region) conceived on the basis of measurable criteria for respect of human rights, for which the European Parliament is called on to contribute to the definition. The European Commission is urged to ensure that implementation of the action plan with Israel in the context of EU Neighbourhood Policy responds to this demand and comprises the unambiguous recognition by Israel of its status as an occupying power and of the obligations that arise from this. The EU must continue to recommend the establishment of a sub-committee on human rights in the context of the Association Agreement with Israel (already proposed to Israel but not yet accepted).