Saturday, June 14, 2008

ISRAEL DOESN’T RESPECT THE AGREEMENTS: NO TO THE UPGRADE OF RELATIONS WITH EU


PRESS RELEASE
BY LUISA MORGANTINI
Vice President of the European Parliament

"ISRAEL DOESN’T RESPECT THE AGREEMENTS: NO TO THE UPGRADE OF RELATIONS WITH EU

IN OCCASION OF THE EU-ISRAEL ASSOCIATION COUNCIL,
On Monday 16th June in Luxembourg, in the margins of the EU GENERAL AFFAIRS and EXTERNAL RELATIONS COUNCIL

Rome 13th June 2008

“We strongly feel that without serious signs of good faith translated into tangible improvements on the ground, the time is not yet right to upgrade EU-Israel relations" was the final statement by a 14 MEPs ad hoc delegation, belonging to different political groups. The ad hoc delegation visited Israel and the Palestinian Territories from 31 May to 2 June. The delegation witnessed the wall, check points, the expansion of the Israeli settlements on Occupied Territories and the siege in Gaza.

“This is not to punish Israel, but to be coherent with our rules - firstly with the respect of human rights that are fundamental in all association agreements between European Union and third countries. Human rights that continue to be systematically violated by the ongoing Israeli policies towards the Palestinian population in the occupied Palestinian Territory” added Luisa Morgantini, Vice President of the European Parliament, who was also part of the ad hoc delegation.

Regarding the EU-Israel Association Council meeting, scheduled to take place on Monday 16th June, within the margins of the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council, Luisa Morgantini reinforced the same reservations expressed by the delegation. "Urgent actions to counteract eroding confidence in the Palestinian- Israeli process are needed,” expressed MEP Morgantini.

The ad hoc delegation to Israel and the occupied Palestinian Territory, was co-chaired by Mrs Veronique DE KEYSER and Mrs Annemie NEYTS-UYTTEBROECK, and included fourteen MEPs belonging to different political groups. Attached below, is the official statement released by the delegation during a press conference in Jerusalem on 2nd June 2008.


Further info Luisa Morgantini 0039 348 39 21 465 or Rome Office 0039 06 69 95 02 17 Luisa.morgantini@europarl.europa.eu ; http://www.luisamorgantini.net/; "

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