MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
13.6.2007
pursuant to Rule 103(2) of the Rules of Procedure
by Joseph Daul, João de Deus Pinheiro, José Ignacio Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra, Vito Bonsignore, Charles Tannock, Elmar Brok, Antonio Tajani, Bogdan Klich, Jana Hybášková, Tokia Saïfi, Robert Atkins, Gunnar Hökmark and Patrick Gaubert
on behalf of the PPE-DE Group
on the situation in the Middle East
B6‑0241/2007
European Parliament resolution on the situation in the Middle East
The European Parliament,
– having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation in the Middle East, in particular those of 7 September 2006 on the situation in the Middle East and 16 November 2006 on the situation in the Gaza Strip,
– having regard to UN Security Council Resolutions 242, 338, 1373 and 1397,
– having regard to the Quartet’s 'Roadmap for Peace', of 30 April 2003,
– having regard to the Neighbourhood Agreements between the EU and Israel and the EU and Palestine,
– having regard to the Quartet statement of 30 May 2007,
– having regard to Rule 103(2) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas, in spite of a new ceasefire coming into effect, the escalation of factional violence in Gaza during the last month and in particular in the last few days has claimed more than 40 lives and, as a result, Al Fatah has provisionally and unilaterally decided to withdraw from the Palestinian National Unity Government,
B. whereas the population living in the Palestinian Territory is facing a crisis of unprecedented proportions as far as poverty, unemployment, access to health care, education, security and freedom of movement are concerned,
C. whereas, as a result of the fighting between the Islamic group Fatah al Islam and the Lebanese army to the north of Tripoli, over 12 000 refugees have recently fled the Nahr el Bared camp and subsequently the Ein al Hilweh refugee camp, whereas most of them now live in another Palestinian refugee camp known as Beddawi, several public buildings have also been provided by the Lebanese authorities and other refugees have been taken in by the local population; and whereas around 15 000 refugees are still caught in the fighting at Nahr el Bared,
D. whereas UN Security Council Resolution 1757 sets up a special tribunal to investigate the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and other political attacks in Lebanon,
1. Condemns the multiple Kassam missile attacks fired from the Gaza strip against Israeli territory and calls on the Palestinian National Unity Government and all Palestinian leaders to do their utmost to bring an end to these attacks, having in most cases civilians as targets;
2. Expresses its serious concern at the deterioration in the humanitarian, economic and financial situation in the West Bank and Gaza;
3. Calls on the National Unity Government to publicly renounce violence, recognise Israel’s right to exist in peace and security and fully respect international law, based on the Quartet's principles, and reaffirms its willingness to support such a compliant government;
4. Welcomes the reaffirmation of the Arab Peace Initiative, noting that the initiative is recognised in the Roadmap, whilst providing a welcome regional political horizon for Israel and Palestine and complementing the efforts of the Quartet and of the parties themselves to progress towards a negotiated, comprehensive, just and lasting peace;
5. Reiterates its conviction that there is no place in politics for groups or individuals who advocate violence, and urges all Palestinian armed groups to maintain a cessation of hostilities;
6. Calls on the Israeli Government to refrain from carrying out further air strikes; calls for the immediate release of the Palestinian ministers and parliamentarians held in Israel;
7. Calls on the Palestinian National Unity Government, in cooperation with President Abbas and regional actors, to ensure that security is enforced and guaranteed and that every possible effort is made to secure the release of the Israeli soldier Corporal Shalit and the BBC journalist Alan Johnston;
8. Expresses its concern at the effect on the ordinary Palestinian people of the EU decision to suspend the provision of aid through the Palestinian Authority, as a result of the failure of the Authority to fulfil legitimate conditions; welcomes the expansion of the temporary international mechanism and urges the Council and the Commission to monitor changing circumstances closely and to encourage circumstances that would allow the resumption of the provision of aid through the Authority;
9. Agrees, in light of increased regional support for the Palestinians, to review where additional donor assistance should be focused, with particular consideration for infrastructure and development programmes that can directly improve the daily lives of Palestinians and calls on the Council and the Commission to put forward concrete proposals on specific international support that could be useful at this stage;
10. Calls on Israel to transfer clearance revenues to the Palestinian Authority so that salary commitments owed to PA employees can be paid with appropriate safeguards such as those adopted by the EU, for example through the TIM;
11. Welcomes the decision taken by the Quartet to meet next time jointly in the region;
12. Welcomes the prompt reaction of the European Commission deciding immediately to allocate € 370 000 to provide humanitarian support for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon in order to cater for the vital needs of about 30 000 Palestinian refugees, already affected by extremely difficult living conditions, and now finding themselves trapped in a conflict that does not concern them; urges all parties in the conflict to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law, in particular to facilitate the delivery of aid and the evacuation of innocent civilians;
13. Welcomes the UN Security Council resolution setting up a special tribunal to investigate the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and other political attacks in Lebanon; considers that this development may constitute an important message from the international community indicating that politically motivated attacks and assassinations committed in Lebanon will not remain unpunished; calls on all countries, as well as the various Lebanese parties, to help set up the court as quickly as possible and to cooperate unreservedly with it;
14. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the High Representative of the CFSP, the governments of the Member States, the Israeli Government, the President of the Palestinian Authority, the Palestinian Legislative Council and the UN Secretary-General.