MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
4.7.2007
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, Michael Gahler and Patrick Gaubert
on behalf of the PPE-DE Group
on the situation in the Middle East
B6‑0268/2007
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,
– 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 Neighbourhood Agreements between the EU and Israel and the EU and Palestine,
– having regard to the Quartet statements of 27 and 16 June and 30 May 2007,
– having regard the EU Presidency statement of 18 June on the situation in the Palestinian territories,
– having regard to Rule 103(2) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. having regard to the escalation of factional violence in Gaza during recent months, in spite of a new ceasefire coming into effect, which has claimed more than a hundred lives and resulted in Al Fatah unilaterally deciding to withdraw from the Palestinian National Government of Unity and President Abbas deciding to dissolve the cabinet and form a new government without Hamas representatives,
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 recently fled the Nahr al‑Bared camp and, subsequently, the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp, with most of them now living in another Palestinian refugee camp at Beddawi, where several public buildings have also been provided by the Lebanese authorities and other refugees have been taken in by the local population, and whereas some 15 000 refugees are still caught up in the fighting at Nahr al-Bared,
D. whereas UN Security Council Resolution 1757 sets up a special court to investigate the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and other political assassinations in Lebanon,
1. Condemns the multiple attacks using Qassam missiles fired indiscriminately into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip and calls on the Palestinian Government, as well as all Palestinian leaders, to do their utmost to put an end to these attacks, most of which have civilians as targets; condemns the violence perpetrated by illegal Hamas militia in the Gaza Strip and the killing of innocent civilians and members of the legally constituted security forces; strongly condemns Hamas-orchestrated political trials ending in brutal prosecutions of political dissenters;
2. Expresses its understanding and support for President Abbas’s extraordinary decisions, given the serious circumstances, and recognises the necessity for, and legitimacy of, these decisions taken in full compliance with Palestinian law and also aimed at supporting the other legitimate Palestinian institutions;
3. Expresses its serious concern about the repercussions in the form of deterioration of the humanitarian, economic, and financial situation in the West Bank and Gaza, and calls on all sides to facilitate and allow emergency humanitarian aid to reach people living in the Gaza Strip; asks the EU to launch the planning of an eventual humanitarian aid operation in the Gaza Strip;
4. Calls on the EU, Quartet and international community to recognise that the mounting concentration of weapons, especially in the Gaza Strip, is a source of tension and a serious worsening of the security situation; asks all political factions, therefore, to uphold the Cairo Agreement of 20 March 2005 and to embark on the process of disarmament;
5. Calls on the new Palestinian Government to work publicly under the explicit premise of recognition of Israel’s right to exist in peace and security and in full compliance with international law, on the basis of the Quartet’s principles, and reaffirms its willingness to support a government that complies with these terms, so that international aid to the Palestinian people can be fully resumed, thus ensuring that the TIM is not extended for much longer, given its many shortcomings;
6. Calls on the EU to recognise the inevitable future involvement of Egypt in the resolution of the situation in Gaza;
7. Regrets that the Mecca Agreements reached between Fatah and Hamas in early February 2007 were not capable of putting an end to the Palestinian internecine problems; encourages the resumption of dialogue between the President of the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli authorities; hopes that such a dialogue will also be established with the new government, which must commit itself to the respect of international law and binding agreements that have been adopted; calls on the Commission and the Council to bring pressure to bear on the Quartet and on the parties to ensure that a negotiated, comprehensive, just and lasting peaceful solution to the conflict is secured;
8. 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;
9. Calls on the Israeli Government to refrain from carrying out further air strikes; calls for the immediate release of the former Palestinian Ministers and Members of Parliament detained in Israel; welcomes Israel’s intention of releasing 350 Al Fatah detainees;
10. Calls on the new Palestinian Government, in cooperation with President Abbas and regional actors, to ensure that security is fully enforced and guaranteed and that every effort is made to ensure that the Israeli soldier Corporal Shalit and the BBC journalist Alan Johnston are liberated;
11. Welcomes the Council decision of 18 June asking the EU to resume normal relations with the Palestinian Authority immediately and, to this end, to develop the conditions for urgent practical and financial assistance, including direct financial support for the new government, as well as to ensure the provision of emergency and humanitarian assistance to the population of Gaza;
12. Agrees, in the 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 invites the Council and the Commission to recommend concrete proposals for specific international support that could be useful at this stage;
13. Welcomes the Israeli decision to transfer clearance revenues to the Palestinian Authority so that salary commitments owed to PA employees can be paid;
14. Welcomes the decision taken by the Quartet to hold its next meeting jointly in the region and expresses support for the appointment of former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair as Quartet representative;
15. Strongly condemns the terrorist attack suffered by the Spanish troops of the FINUL, which resulted in six soldiers being killed and some injured, and asks the Lebanese authorities to do their utmost to undertake a clear and prompt investigation in order to bring those responsible to justice;
16. Welcomes the prompt reaction of the European Commission, which decided to allocate €370 000 to provide humanitarian support for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon in order to contribute 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 and, in particular, to facilitate the delivery of aid and the evacuation of innocent civilians;
17. Welcomes the UNSC resolution to set up a special court to investigate the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and other politically motivated assassinations in Lebanon; considers that this development will 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 special court as quickly as possible and to cooperate unreservedly with it;
18. 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, the UN Secretary-General and the Quartet Special Representative.