Wednesday, 18 February 2009
ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS MUST BE STOPPED SO THAT SERIOUS NEGOTIATIONS CAN BEGIN
الاستيطان الاسرائيلي يجب ان يقف حتى تبدأ المفاوضات
Labour MEP for Dublin Proinsias De Rossa speaking in the European Parliament today in a debate on European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) has welcomed “the emphasis on ‘Human Security’ as the most effective basic principle for a peaceful world.” Mr De Rossa said: “This approach puts people’s wellbeing at the heart of our concerns, rather than resources, or global economic advantage. “This principal applied to the Middle East obliges us not only to respond to the humanitarian crisis that recent Israeli aggression against the people of Gaza has created, but also obliges us to tell Israel enough is enough. No more can Europe turn a blind eye to the abuses of Palestinian rights, including their right to self-determination, by the Israeli State. “One of the most significant abuses of the right to self-determination is the relentless and deliberate colonisation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. There are now 500,000 settlers squatting on territory which is supposed to comprise the main territory of the proposed new Palestinian state. “I was struck by the low priority given in today’s debate, except by Xavier Solana and Martin Schulz, of the critical obstacle these illegal Israeli Settlements are creating to the re-opening of peace negotiations on final settlement issues. “Indeed it is difficult to believe that Israel is serious when its spokespersons say they favour a Palestinian state, although they are careful never to refer to an ‘independent’ state, while proceeding day in and day out to annex more and more of Palestinian territory. “Declarations that Europe and the USA are committed to a ‘two state solution’ which includes the establishment of an independent sovereign and viable Palestinian state are not worth the paper they are written on if the Settlements are allowed to continue. As a first step on the road to a negotiated peace agreement, the settlements must be frozen and eventually dismantled. Otherwise there will never be a sustainable peace.”
ENDS
Contact Proinsias De Rossa MEP
at 087-254-4644
