The European Parliament adopted by 447 votes to 143,
with 41 abstentions, a resolution on Israel-Palestine after the
Gaza war and the role of the EU.
The resolution was tabled by the S&D, ECR, EPP,
and ALDE groups.
Parliament welcomed the ceasefire agreement brokered
by Egypt, and supported the Egyptian authorities in their continued
work with the Israelis and Palestinians in order to establish a
long-term ceasefire, welcoming recent reports that the Egyptians
are due to commence talks on a permanent ceasefire.
EU action: Parliament
urged the EU and its Member States again to play a more active
political role, also within the Quartet, in the efforts aimed at
achieving a just and lasting peace between Israelis and
Palestinians. It supported the High Representative in her efforts
to create a credible perspective for re-launching the peace
process, and applauded the fact that the EU was ready to support a
possible international mechanism endorsed by the United Nations
Security Council, including through the reactivation and possible
extension of the scope and mandate of its EUBAM Rafah and EUPOL
COPPS missions on the ground, extending to the launch of a training
programme for Palestinian Authority customs personnel and police
for redeployment in Gaza.
Reconciliation: Members
encouraged an intra-Palestinian reconciliation between Hamas and
the Palestinian Authority to work together to rebuild Gaza and to
find a long-term political solution. This reconciliation process,
should lead to the holding of parliamentary and presidential
elections soon.
They also reiterated support for the policy of
peaceful resistance of President Mahmoud Abbas and condemned all
acts of terrorism and violence. Parliament called on the European
Union and its Member States to reinforce their support for the
leadership of President Abbas and his latest initiative to unblock
the conflict. At the same time, it urged the Palestinian
National Consensus Government to take over full authority in the
Gaza Strip without delay, in order to avoid Gaza’s sliding
into chaos and lawlessness.
Members welcomed the ongoing dialogue between the
Israeli Government and the Palestinian National Consensus
Government in various fields, and urged both parties to continue
along this path.
Reconstruction: the
status quo in the Gaza Strip was unsustainable and played into the
hands of extremists, leading to constantly renewed cycles of
violence. Parliament believed that there would be no long-term
stability in Gaza without reconstruction and economic revival,
which was undermined by the lack of free movement of people and
goods. It called for a rapid reconstruction and rehabilitation of
Gaza, and strongly supported the donors’ conference to be held
on 12 October 2014 in Cairo, calling on the EU to participate
fully in the Conference.
Humanitarian aid:
Parliament stressed that providing full and unimpeded access for
humanitarian aid to the population in the Gaza Strip must be an
immediate priority. The international community must answer as a
matter of urgency the emergency appeals for additional funding of
UNRWA. All actors in the region were asked to facilitate
humanitarian assistance reaching those in need of basic goods and
services – with special regard to electricity services and
water supplies, and the specific needs of children in particular
– in Gaza without delay. Parliament expresses its concerns
about the alleged cases of intentional blocking of humanitarian aid
delivery to Gaza. Parliament stressed that EU humanitarian and
financial assistance must fully benefit the Palestinian people,
and must never be used, directly or indirectly, for terrorist
activities.
Regional actors: it was
imperative that the PA, the EU, Egypt and Jordan work, in a robust
manner, towards ensuring that terrorist groups in Gaza and the West
Bank could rearm and did not return to smuggle weapons, manufacture
rockets and build tunnels. Parliament also encouraged key regional
actors, notably Egypt and Jordan, to continue their efforts to calm
the situation, reiterating its strong support for the two-state
solution on the basis of the 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as
capital of both states, with the State of Israel and an
independent, democratic, contiguous and viable State of Palestine
living side by side in peace and security, which would imply the
lifting of the blockade of Gaza. Members also stated again that
settlements were illegal under international law and constitute an
obstacle to peace. They urged all EU institutions to encourage
trade, cultural, scientific, energy, water and economic relations
between Israel and its neighbours.
Lastly, Parliament expressed its recognition of the
immense importance of the work carried out by UNRWA and its
entire staff during and after the conflict and called on the EU and
international donors to significantly increase their support to
cover the increased immediate needs of the affected population,
which UNRWA had to meet.