The expansion of settlements is undermining the efforts for a solution of the Palestinian issue
Press release European Parliament Office of AKEL MEP Neoklis Sylikiotis
15th February 2017
“The settlements are continuously being expanded, undermining every peace-making effort to achieve a two-state solution. The gross violations of the human rights of the Palestinians by the Israeli occupation forces are continuing. At the same time, they are increasing the attacks on the Palestinian people, the demolition of schools and houses, the imprisonment of children, the murders and persecution. How do you therefore expect any prospect for the resumption of peace talks if Israel doesn’t first change its stance?”, stressed AKEL MEP and President of the European Parliament Delegation for relations with Palestine N. Sylikiotis before the plenary of the European Parliament. The subject of discussion was the situation in the occupied West Bank, with the emphasis on the issue of the continued construction of settlements.
Speaking on behalf of the Confederal Group of the European United Left- Nordic Green Left N. Sylikiotis underlined that the situation in the West Bank is deteriorating day by day and empty shallow talk do not help. He consequently underlined that the European Parliament must speak clearly, honestly and apportion responsibilities.
As the AKEL MEP said, the tolerance and leniency shown so far by the EU has led to the unacceptable decision adopted by the Knesset to retroactively legalize 4,000 settler homes that have been illegally built on Palestinian property; a decision, which, as he pointed out, violates International Law and every convention on human rights, as well as undermining every effort to ensure peace prevails.
N. Sylikiotis made particular reference to the positive step achieved with the approval of Resolution 2334 by the UN Security Council, which recognizes the settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories as illegal and calls for an immediate end to the policy of colonization. Furthermore, he recalled the message sent out by the international conference in Paris on the Middle East that Israel must end its military occupation of Palestine.
In closing, N. Sylikiotis stressed that the EU must immediately put pressure on Israel to end its ongoing colonization, lift the occupation and commit itself to a roadmap for peace and to a two-state solution. The first step he indicated should be the immediate freezing of the EU’s Association Agreement with Israel.
