MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Palestine: raids by Israeli forces on Palestinian TV stations
13.3.2012
pursuant to Rule 122 of the Rules of Procedure
Véronique De Keyser, Ana Gomes, Richard Howitt, Emer Costello, Pino Arlacchi, María Muñiz De Urquiza, Tanja Fajon on behalf of the S&D Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0160/2012
B7‑0162/2012
European Parliament resolution on Palestine: raids by Israeli forces on Palestinian TV stations
The European Parliament,
- having regard to its previous resolutions,
- having regard to the statement by the Spokesperson of the High Representative Catherine Ashton on the closure of two Palestinian television stations of 3 March 2012,
- having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 1966,
- having regard to the Oslo Accords (Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements) of 1993 and other agreements between Israel and the Palestinian Authority,
- having regard to Article 122 of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas, on 29 February 2012, Israel Defense Forces soldiers and officials of the Israeli Ministry of Communication raided two Palestinian television stations, Wattan TV and Al Quds University-affiliated Al Quds Educational TV, and confiscated transmitters, computers, broadcasting equipment, cassettes, and administrative and financial documents; whereas several employees of Wattan TV were held for hours during this operation,
B. whereas the Israeli Ministry of Communication said following the raids that both television stations had been repeatedly warned that they used frequencies which violated agreements between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, interfered with Israeli communication systems, and disturbed flight communications at Ben-Gurion International Airport,
C. whereas the Palestinian Authority replied that Israeli accusations concerning the interruption of flight communications were false, neither the PA nor the two television stations had received warnings from Israeli authorities, and the two stations were guilty of no violations of agreements between Israel and the PA, while the Israeli raids breached these agreements which require such issues to be resolved through consultation,
D. whereas Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad condemned the Israeli raids on the two television stations as a blatant attack against the freedom of information which recalls Israeli practices at the beginning of the second intifada when occupation forces had raided and sabotaged many Palestinian media institutions, including Wattan TV, and said that the Palestinian response should entail immediate rebroadcast and continuation of work in both institutions,
E. whereas the European Union has worked with both Wattan TV and Al Quds Educational TV, which have been broadcasting for many years,
F. whereas intimidation of Palestinian media by Israeli authorities continues; whereas, on 20 November 2011, the Israeli Ministry of Communication ordered the closure of All for Peace, a radio station based in East Jerusalem and broadcasting from Ramallah in the West Bank; whereas Reporters Without Borders said that this radio station had been broadcasting programmes in Hebrew and Arabic encouraging peace initiatives and dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians,
G. whereas the Oslo Accords established an Israeli-Palestinian Joint Technical Committee to address any issues arising in the telecommunications field,
H. whereas the Israeli raids on the two Palestinian television stations took place in Area A, which is under Palestinian civilian and security administration and control, in the occupied Palestinian Territory,
1. Condemns the raids by Israeli Defence Forces soldiers and officials of the Israeli Ministry of Communication on Palestinian television stations Wattan TV and Al Quds Educational TV and the confiscation of transmitters, computers, broadcasting equipment, cassettes, and administrative and financial documents on 29 February 2012;
2. Is deeply concerned by the intimidation of Palestinian media by Israeli authorities and calls for an immediate end to this practice;
3. Supports the efforts of Palestinian authorities and the two television stations to restore broadcasting equipment and continue interrupted broadcasting;
4. Calls on Israeli authorities to return all confiscated pieces of equipment and documents to the two television stations without delay;
5. Calls on Israeli authorities to fully respect the provisions of existing agreements between Israel and the Palestinian Authority when dealing with Palestinian media; stresses that the Israeli-Palestinian Joint Technical Committee, established by the Oslo Accords, is the adequate mechanism to resolve any disputes in the telecommunications field;
6. Stresses again that the continuous raids by the Israel Defence Forces in Area A, which is under Palestinian civilian and military administration and control, in the occupied Palestinian Territory undermine the authority and credibility of Palestinian authorities and security forces in the population, puts in jeopardy the internationally recognised success of Palestinian state-building efforts, and considerably hinder efforts aimed achieving peace between Israelis and Palestinians;
7. Reiterates its view that peaceful and non-violent means are the only way to achieve a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians;
8. Calls on the Vice President/High Representative, the Council, and the Commission to put the issue of Israeli intimidation of Palestinian media on the agenda of the EU-Israel dialogue and to take these events into consideration in EU-Israel bilateral relations; reminds again, in this context, of the EU's obligation to ensure consistency between the different areas of its external action and between these and its other policies, as mentioned in Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union;
9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Parliaments and Governments of the Member States, the Middle East Quartet Envoy, the Knesset and the Government of Israel, the President of the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian Legislative Council.