Activites

• 2014/09/18 Results of vote in Parliament
  • Results of vote in Parliament
  • T8-0029/2014 summary

    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.

• 2014/09/17 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament

Documents

• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Results of vote in Parliament: Results of vote in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T8-0029/2014

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)