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Pushing Palestine
to the
Humanitarian Brink
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Press release by the office of the South-East
England’s Green MEP Caroline Lucas
July 5th, 2006 |
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MEP Condemns EU Imbalance
Over Israel
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GREEN Party MEP Caroline Lucas has condemned the
EU’s response to events in
the Middle East as unbalanced – and a risk to the EU’s
credibility in the
region.
Dr. Lucas, who is a member of the EU’s delegation to the
occupied Palestinian
territories – and was an official election observer in
Gaza last year – said
a Finnish presidency statement on behalf of the EU
Council on recent events
in Gaza gave undue emphasis to the kidnapping of one
Israeli soldier but was
far less critical of Israel’s ‘completely
disproportionate’ response.
She said: “Contrary to international law and
humanitarian principles, the
Israeli government has systematically attacked civilian
electricity and
water supplies – and kidnapped and arrested fully 64
Palestinian elected
representatives.
“If that had happened anywhere else in the world we
would expect immediate
condemnation by the international community."
“Of course we all condemn the kidnapping of the Israeli
soldier, and call
for his swift and safe release – but we should be
consistent and not forget
that Israel is holding 9,600 Palestinian political
prisoners, over half of
whom are being held without trial and nearly 400 of whom
are children under
18.”
Dr. Lucas called on the EU to restore full financial
assistance to Palestine
and re-open dialogue with the Hamas leadership, which
has demonstrated its
credibility and ability to evolve by agreeing to sign
the so-called
‘Prisoners’ Agreement’ calling for a government of
national coalition and
taking a step towards the recognition of Israel.
Speaking in a parliamentary debate on events in Israel
and Gaza over recent
days, she added: “The EU simply cannot justify the
continued withholding of
vital funding, which is denying payment to doctors,
teachers and other
public servants, crippling the Palestinian authority and
exacerbating the
already desperate humanitarian crisis.
“Current EU policy is completely counter-productive: it
hurts the poorest
and most vulnerable, drives many into the arms of
extremists, and undermines
the very political and judicial reforms which we have
been demanding for
years.
“To build peace and address the unfolding humanitarian
crisis we must
condemn all human rights violations – whether
Palestinian or Israeli – and
re-open effective dialogue with all parties. It is
simply unacceptable to
collectively punish the Palestinian people for their
choices at the ballots
in a free and fair election.”
Dr. Lucas made her comments in an intervention during a
Parliamentary debate on EU policy in Israel / Palestine.
For a copy see
www.carolinelucasmep.org.uk |
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Recommended Reading. |
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