Israeli buses

21.11.2013

Question for written answer E-013288-13
to the Commission
Rule 117
Véronique De Keyser (S&D)

In its answer to my question (P-002683/2013) on fears regarding a form of apartheid on Israeli buses, the Commission said:

‘The EU delegations in Tel Aviv and East Jerusalem will closely follow further developments on this issue, especially whether Palestinians who hold entrance permits to the State of Israel and who are therefore by law allowed to use public transportation, are prohibited or not from using the public bus lines of their choice.’

Eight months after this answer, what have the EU delegations observed and ascertained on the ground?

If the facts observed over this period have confirmed that the two transport companies in question actually have put in place, directly or indirectly, a system of separate bus services and that Palestinians are not free to take the buses of their choice, what has been the attitude of the European delegations, and what action has been taken by the High Representative of the Union in the face of this ‘apartheid’ measure?

OJ C 237, 22/07/2014