Margrete Auken, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. – Madam President, I would like to address the High Representative. I am sure that this conflict is in your core address and you have issued a lot of statements again but, again as I heard it now, you are treating the two partners as they are equal. You do not mention the word occupation with one single word. If we do not address the occupation, nothing will happen and the credibility of this House and the EU Institutions will vanish. Since you have been appointed the situation on the ground has gone from very bad to worse, and it can get even worse.

I do not hold you responsible for the decade—long violence on the ground, but I do hold you accountable for not taking the tangible and meaningful steps within your reach. Why have you further delayed the publication of the EU guidelines on the labelling of products for the settlers? Why have you not taken any visible actions in response to the destruction of EU and Member State-funded projects in Area C? Which steps have you taken to create a blacklist of violent settlers and ban their entry – a measure that has been raised by many Member States many times in recent years? Why have we not heard any public statement from your side regarding Israel’s blacklisting of an entire institution, this Parliament, for granting access to the poor people in Gaza? There is a whole range of actions that could be taken by Brussels and yourself immediately and independently from ongoing negotiations. I urge you to now address this occupation.

Let me, last but not least, mention a strong and efficient step to take within EU existing legislation: a consequent differentiation between Israel and the illegal settlements where we cut all collaboration with settlers and settlements. This differentiation is not a boycott; it is a legal means which could boost real credible negotiations.