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Wednesday, 3 December 2008 - Brussels OJ edition

Israel’s participation in Community programmes - Israel’s participation in Community programmes (debate)
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  Athanasios Pafilis (GUE/NGL), in writing. – (EL) The Council proposal to give preferential treatment to and upgrade the already strong cooperation between the EU and Israel – irrespective of the fact that the European Parliament vote on it has been adjourned – is, whichever way you look at it, a challenge to Europeans and to all the nations of the world, an insult to the thousands of victims of Israeli barbarity.

This proposal effectively perpetuates Israeli apartheid and rewards the mass infringements by Israel of international rules of law and the human rights of the Palestinian people, the occupation of the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and Eastern Jerusalem and the continuing construction of the Wall of Shame and mass settlements and ignores UN resolutions condemning Israel and the resolution passed in 2002 by the European Parliament on the suspension of the Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and Israel.

Although Israel has maintained the same policy towards the Palestinian people for 60 years, and nations and the UN have condemned it, a provocative proposal has been tabled suggesting that we turn a blind eye to the blatant infringements of human rights by the Israeli occupying forces.

This proves once again that, in its hypocrisy as regards respect for human rights, the EU is using double standards in its policy, depending on its interests in each particular case.

 
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