Brussels, 10/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament has added a point to the agenda of its plenary session next week: - a debate on the situation in Gaza after the escalation of violence in recent days. It will be held on 15 November at 15h00 (see above all EUROPE 9303).
Furthermore, ten MEPs - headed by the Chairperson of the Committee on Development, Luisa Morgantini (GUE/NGL, Italy), and belonging to the five main groups of the EP, including French Green member Hélène Flautre, who chairs the sub-committee on human rights, all of whom have recently returned from a mission in Israel and Palestine - have signed a declaration in which they say they are “shocked and appalled” by what they have seen and experienced in Gaza. They insist that the EU should “review the association agreement and consider imposition of sanctions on Israel unless it ceases the killing of civilians and the violation of human rights, thus complying with Article 2 of the association agreement”. The MEPs also call on Hamas and Fatah and on “all the democratic Palestinian forces, even under these circumstances, not to stop their efforts to form a United Government as already agreed on the document of national reconciliation which recognises the 1967 borders of the state of Palestine and Israel and to take every possible measure to halt the firing of Qassam rockets”. The MEPs “ask the UN and the Quartet to send international forces to protect the Palestinian and Israeli civilian populations, while calling for an international conference with all the parties involved reaching a comprehensive and just peace for the area”. In their declaration, the parliamentarians express indignation saying: “doctors told us that some deadly injuries are not caused by traditional weapons but most likely by new experimental chemical weapons. (…) The closure of Rafah and Karni crossing for people and goods has turned Gaza into an open air prison”. (mg)