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Verbatim report of proceedings
Wednesday, 24 September 2003 - Strasbourg OJ edition

Middle East (continuation)
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  Gutiérrez-Cortines (PPE-DE).(ES) Mr President, I believe there have been many statements here condemning the recent comments of the Israeli Government and recent events. It is very easy to say to other people, to the Israelis and the Palestinians, what they must do, but perhaps we should consider what Europe is doing, what we are doing, because we can do something about that, because it is in our hands. In this regard, I did not like the comments of the Council, which has taken the bait, which has become embroiled in the current media war.

Europe cannot depend on the media war, on statements and threats. We must work on what Europe is doing. In this regard, European policy has been rather ambiguous in recent months, because, if Europe played an important role in creating the figure of Abu Mazen, what has it done to support him? I would like to put this question to the Council, and also, and above all, to the Commission. What have we done to ensure that the Palestinians do their duties, such as to support Abu Mazen so that he may have a single police force or to demand that Arafat concede some of his powers to a minister who he himself had supported? What have we done in order to build a country able to accept its responsibilities as an independent and democratic state? What have we done to exchange our very nice NGO programmes, peace declarations, human rights groups, doves in schools, for a system and health services which are not managed by the Church or by a terrorist system like Hamas, which is paying doctors and teachers? There are more than 1 200 000 children lacking a proper education system.

The question we should be asking is: what has Europe done to strengthen the system of security and justice?

We condemn the wall, because it runs counter to any democratic system and is a physical and moral aggression, but we must also build the country and support the victims of terrorism. Europe must open a line of support for these victims. It must take a position and combat the prevailing ambiguity.

Let us have a clear and effective policy in Europe, and not a policy of making statements.

 
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