MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the case of Arafat Jaradat and the situation of political prisoners in Israeli jails
12.3.2013 - (2013/2563(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 122 of the Rules of Procedure
Bernd Posselt, Cristian Dan Preda, Mario Mauro, Roberta Angelilli, Eija-Riitta Korhola, Sergio Paolo Francesco Silvestris, Giovanni La Via, Philippe Boulland, Jean Roatta, Petri Sarvamaa, Eduard Kukan, Monica Luisa Macovei, Krzysztof Lisek on behalf of the PPE Group
B7‑0153/2013
European Parliament resolution on the case of Arafat Jaradat and the situation of political prisoners in Israeli jails
The European Parliament,
- Having regard to its previous resolutions on the Middle East,
– Having regard to the EU-Israel Association Agreement and to the results of the eighth meeting of the EU-Israel Association Council of 16 June 2008,
- Having regard to the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 1966,
- Having regard to the statement by the High Representative, Catherine Ashton, of 16 February 2013, on the condition of Palestinian hunger strikers in Israel,
- Having regard to local EU Statement on Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike, 8 May 2012,
- Having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 4 September 2008 on the situation of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails,
- Having regard to the Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the implementation of Human Rights Council resolutions S-9/1 and S-12/1,
- Having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 5 July 2012 on EU policy on the West Bank and East Jerusalem,
– Having regard to Rule 122 of its Rules of Procedure,
A. Whereas on 18 February 2013, Arafat Jaradat (30 years old and Palestinian) was arrested because for throwing a rock at Israelis citizens, according to Shin Bet Security Agency.; whereas on Saturday, 23 February 2013, Jaradat died in Israel's Megiddo prison after several days of interrogation, from what the Israel Prison Service (IPS) said appeared to be a heart attack;
B. Whereas on Sunday 24 February Israel's forensics institute performed an autopsy in the presence of a physician from the Palestinian Authority to determine the cause of Jaradat's death;
C. Whereas Palestinian officials claim Arafat Jaradat was tortured during Israeli interrogation and died from this torture; whereas according to Palestinian officials the autopsy showed he had suffered two broken ribs and had bruising;
D. Whereas Israel's health ministry said the autopsy did not decisively determine the cause of his death and more investigations and tests are needed; whereas according to intermediate autopsy report, Jaradat's rib fractures and skin hemorrages are characteristic of resuscitation attempts that were performed in an effort to save his life;
D.bis Whereas the Palestinian Authority Prisoners Affairs ministry said that Arafat Jaradat died two days after being transferred to a cell where "collaborators" were being held;
E. Whereas almost all 4,500 Palestinian prisoners took part in a hunger strike refusing food in protests for Mr. Jaradat's death;
Ebis.Whereas, there were clashes in the streets of the West Bank in recent days, as Palestinians denounced the conditions of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails;
Eter Whereas one armed group linked to Fatah has fired a rocket in the South of Israel, stating that it was exercising revenge for the death of Jaradat;
F. Whereas it is estimated that 700 Palestinian children aged 12 to 17 are arrested by Israeli security forces in the West Bank every year;
G. Whereas, for the vast majority of Palestinian prisoners held in prisons situated inside Israel's territory, it is often impossible or very difficult to exert the right of visits by their families;
H. Whereas Israel has been facing many deadly terrorist attacks against its civilian population for the last years and is regularly the target of Palestinian rocket attacks from Gaza Strip ;
I. Whereas relations between the European Communities and Israel, under Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, are based on respect for human rights and democratic principles, which constitute an essential element of that agreement; whereas the EU-Israel Action Plan stresses that respect for human rights and for international humanitarian law is among the values shared by the parties;
1. Is deeply concerned by the renewed tensions in West Bank following Arafat Jaradat's death in the Meggido prison under disputed circumstances; calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and to refrain from provocative actions in order to prevent further violence;
2. Calls on all parties to take positive steps to establish truth and defuse current tensions; calls on the Israeli Authorities to promptly open an independent and impartial investigation into the circumstances of the death of Mr. Jaradat ;
3. Reiterates its support for the legitimate security concerns of Israel; believes however that the rule of law must be fully respected in the treatment of all prisoners, this being crucial for a democratic country; calls therefore on the Israeli Government to respect the rights of Palestinian prisoners and protect their health and lives;
4. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs, the Council, the Commission, the Israeli Government, the Knesset, the President of the Palestinian Authority, the Palestinian Legislative Council, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the UN Secretary-General, the Quartet Envoy to the Middle East, the President of the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the International Committee of the Red Cross.