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Motion for a resolution - B8-0373/2015Motion for a resolution
B8-0373/2015

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation of the Yarmouk refugee camp

28.4.2015 - (2015/2664(RSP))

with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 135 of the Rules of Procedure

Martina Anderson, Marisa Matias, Patrick Le Hyaric, Neoklis Sylikiotis, Younous Omarjee, Ángela Vallina, Eleonora Forenza, Rina Ronja Kari, Malin Björk, Merja Kyllönen, Takis Hadjigeorgiou, Javier Couso Permuy, Marina Albiol Guzmán, Lidia Senra Rodríguez, Paloma López Bermejo, Marie-Christine Vergiat, Anne-Marie Mineur, Sofia Sakorafa, Kostas Chrysogonos, Lynn Boylan, Liadh Ní Riada, Matt Carthy, Kostadinka Kuneva on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B8-0373/2015

Procedure : 2015/2664(RSP)
Document stages in plenary
Document selected :  
B8-0373/2015
Texts tabled :
B8-0373/2015
Texts adopted :

B8‑0373/2015

European Parliament resolution on the situation of the Yarmouk refugee camp

(2015/2664(RSP))

The European Parliament,

 

-          having regard to the Charter of the United Nations,

 

-         having regard to UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, particularly 194 (1948), on the Right of Return,

-          having regard to the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 1949,

 

-          having regard to the International Humanitarian Law,

 

-          having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

 

-          having regard to the UNRWA Yarmouk situation reports,

 

-          having regard to the statements of the HR/VP on the situation in the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp in Syria of 18 April 2015,

 

-         having regard to the Council conclusions on the Middle East Peace Process of 17 November 2014, 14 May 2012, 18 July and 23 May 2011, and 8 December 2009,

-          having regard to Rule 135 (5) of its Rules of Procedure,

 

 

A.       whereas the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk, near the centre of Damascus, has been under siege for two years, with severe humanitarian impact on the remaining estimated 18,000 Palestinians trapped in the camp including 3,500 children;

 

B.        Whereas the situation was aggravated on April 1st, 2015, when ISIL and "Jabhad Al Nusra" forces attacked the Yarmouk camp in the group's first major attack near the heart of the Syrian capital, which caused an intense armed conflict raging in the streets with forces in the camp and government forces, worsening further the humanitarian crisis in Yarmouk and people cowering in their homes, too terrified to move even to access food; whereas since there is information that ISIL has withdrawn from the camp this, however, not showing any improvement of the situation, as part of the camp seems to be in the hands of "Jabhad Al Nusra" and part in "Al Qaida" affiliates;

 

C.       whereas Yarmouk was first built for Palestinians fleeing the 1948 Arab-Israeli war never been able to return to their land; whereas it prospered as a safe haven for the 160,000 Palestinian refugees who lived there before the beginning of the war in Syria; whereas it had its own schools, public buildings and commercial life; whereas UNRWA was providing health, education and social services to the camp;

 

D.       whereas the remaining refugees have had little access to clean water, food supplies, electricity and extremely limited access to health services; whereas it is estimated that they have had to survive on 100kj per day equivalent to a situation of severe malnutrition;

 

E.        whereas UNRWA has had no direct access to the camp but has reached part of the refugees through adjacent areas to the camp and host communities in Yalda, Beit Saham and Tadamoun where refugees have fled; whereas UNRWA provides humanitarian assistance indiscriminately in the 37 collective shelters and both to Palestinians and Syrians who have fled the area due to the escalation of clashes as well as to the host communities;

 

F.        whereas there is a permanent health crisis in the camp, with a typhoid epidemic in 2014, Hypatitis A and water-related illnesses being endemic, as well as malnutrition with all the known consequences;

 

G        whereas The UN Security Council has demanded all parties to the Syrian civil war humanitarian access to the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk and allow humanitarian aid to reach without obstruction the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp;

 

H        whereas Yarmouk is just one crisis among many faced by the 480 000 Palestine refugees in Syria, with more than half of this vulnerable population internally displaced by violence, many on more than one occasion and at least 80000 displaced to Lebanon, Jordan or further afield; whereas other Palestinian refugee camps like in Dera'a and Homsface situations similar to Yarmouk;

 

I          whereas more than 95% of Palestine refugees in Syria now rely on UNRWA to meet their daily needs of food, water and healthcare;

 

J.         whereas Syria's bloody conflict, which has entered its fifth year, has claimed the lives of more than 200,000 Syrians and is estimated to have driven more than 11 million people from their homes, many of them, including Palestinian refugees, risking and losing their lives trafficked on boats across the Mediterranean Sea;

 

 

1.        Expresses its deep concerns regarding the grave humanitarian situation in the Yarmouk Palestinian Refugee Camp, as well as other Palestinian refugee camps in Syria, and the situation of the 480,000 Palestinian refugees in Syria as a whole;

 

2         Stresses that Palestinians cannot be made refugees for a second time; reiterates its strong belief that Palestinians cannot live in safety unless the Palestinian problem is solved justly, with an end to the Israeli occupation and the creation of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders and East Jerusalem as its capital; insists on the respect of the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their land;

 

 

3.        Urges the respect of the neutral status of Yarmouk and the protection of the civilians inside the Camp, particularly women and children, and safeguard medical facilities, schools and places of refuge;

 

4.        Calls all the parties in the conflict to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law to cease hostilities that endanger civilians; demands the withdrawal of all military groups from the camp and the lifting of the siege; urges that free and safe access to the camp be granted to UNRWA and for much-needed immediate and life-sustaining humanitarian aid to get in unhindered;

.

5.        Asks that free and safe means be granted to those Palestinian refugees and affected Syrian citizens who wish to exit the camp;

 

6         Expresses its support to UNRWA and its staff who unceasingly offer their services in this difficult situation; stresses the need for the EU and the member-states to increase their support to UNRWA for the emergency relief effort for civilians in Yarmouk, and other parts of Syria, ensuring that all Palestine refugees, host communities and others have the assistance they need to endure; urges the EU to participate in the funding of the 30 million USD UNRWA emergency appeal and to provide the diplomatic and political support for UNRWA;


7.        Underlines that the situation in Yarmouk, like the Syria conflict as a whole, can only be resolved in a peaceful way; calls on the UN Member states, particularly those with influence over parties to the conflict, to directly and urgently bring their influence to bear in a focused and  peaceful manner;

 

8.        Expresses its support to the mission of the UN Secretary-General's envoy, Staffan de Mistura, to find a political solution to the crisis in Syria;

 

9.        Welcomes President Abbas launching of a financial campaign among Palestinians in support of Yarmouk;

 

10.      Instructs its President to forward his resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Governments and Parliaments of the member-States, the UN Secretary-General, the Government of Syria, the Palestinian Authority, the Palestinian Legislative Council, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean.