MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
30.1.2006
pursuant to Rule 103(2) of the Rules of Procedure
by José Ignacio Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra, Edward McMillan-Scott, Jana Hybášková and Antonio Tajani
on behalf of the PPE-DE Group
on the Council statement: Outcome of the elections in Palestine
B6‑0091/2006
European Parliament resolution on the Council statement: Outcome of the elections in Palestine
The European Parliament,
– having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation in the Middle East and in particular those of 23 October 2003[1] and 27 January 2005[2] on the Presidential election,
– having regard to UN Security Council Resolutions Nos 242, 338, 1373 and 1397,
– having regard to the Quartet’s ‘Roadmap for Peace’, of 30 April 2003,
– having regard to the results of the 25 January 2006 elections to the Palestine Legislative Council (PLC),
– having regard to the preliminary conclusions and findings of the EU Election Observation Mission,
– having regard to the EU Presidency statement on the PLC elections,
– having regard to the declaration on the PLC elections of 28 December 2005,
– having regard to the Neighbourhood Agreements between the EU and Israel and the EU and Palestine,
– having regard to Rule 103(2) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. Whereas the elections of 25 January 2006 to the enlarged Palestinian Legislative Council were open and well run, to the highest international standards, without major infringements and incidents,
B. Whereas voter turnout was quite high, at around 77 per cent of the registered voters,
C. Whereas according to the preliminary results, the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas won 76 out of 132 seats in the Palestinian Parliament, and that gives Hamas the mandate to form the government,
D. Whereas Palestinian prime minister Ahmed Qurei and his cabinet ministers have submitted their resignations and the law stipulates that the party that wins a majority must form the new government,
1. Recognises the efforts and job accomplished by the Palestinian authorities, in particular the independent Central Elections Commission, in providing the conditions under which the elections were held;
2. Recognises the commitment of the international community, notably the EU, in facilitating the electoral process, which sets a new standard for the Arab world;
3. Welcomes the high level of participation as proof of the commitment of Palestinian people to determine their political future;
4. Shares the Presidency’s wishes that these elections could be an important step in strengthening Palestinian democracy and implementing the roadmap obligations;
5. Recognises the measures adopted by the Israeli authorities to facilitate the regular holding of Palestinian legislative elections;
6. Reaffirms that its commitment to remain the biggest aid donor to the Palestinian National Authority and to continue assisting Palestinian economic development and Palestine’s democratic process will be pending on the new government’s clarification on denouncing violence and recognising Israel; also reaffirms its determination to work for peace and to cooperate with any government which is ready to work by peaceful means;
7. Calls on the future Hamas-led government to publicly renounce violence, recognise Israel’s right to exist in peace and security and fully respect international law, in order to maintain ties with Europe; reiterates its conviction that there is no place in politics for groups or individuals who advocate violence and urges all factions to disarm;
8. Considers that any contact with the new government should aim to achieve the recognition of the final peace agreement based on a solution involving two viable states, and the renouncement of violence by the government itself and the groups supporting it;
9. Appreciates the extraordinary work carried out by the officials in the EU Election Observation Mission, its Chief Observer and the European Parliament’s delegation;
10. Declares once again, at this particular time, that the solution to the Middle East conflict is only possible through the negotiation of a firm and final peace agreement as set out in the roadmap, which is still valid, without prior conditions, based on the existence of two democratic, sovereign and viable states, living peacefully side by side within secure and recognised borders;
11. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian Legislative Council, the Israeli Government and Knesset, the US Government, the Government of the Russian Federation and the UN Secretary-General.