Conclusion of the GUE/NGL Delegation visit to Palestine

 

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 8th September 2014, Nicosia

 

The visit of the Delegation of European United Left/Nordic Green Left in the European Parliament to Palestine ended yesterday. The AKEL MEP’s, together with the rest of the GUE/NGL delegation, stayed in Israel and Palestine for a total of 4 days. The aim of the visit was both to express solidarity with the struggle of the Palestinian people and record the humanitarian disaster on the ground.

In all the meetings that took place, it was confirmed that the termination of the occupation is an urgent need, as well as the recognition of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. The common position of both the Palestinians and the Israelis, who are fighting for peace, is that the international community, particularly the European Union, cannot any longer remain indifferent to the crimes Israel is committing, to the continuing violations of human rights and the on-going colonization of the Palestinian territories despite the international outcry.

The military aggression of Israel against the people of Gaza has claimed the lives of over 2000 Palestinians, of whom 27% were children. Crimes were committed that must not go unpunished. As AKEL, we again call on the EU, but also the entire international community, to demand the full compliance by Israel to a road map for peace; to stop the impunity of Israel and terminate immediately the occupation. Furthermore, if the EU respects its own principles and declarations, it must suspend the Association Agreement until Israel stops violating Article 2 which states clearly the obligation of Israel to respect human rights.

However, we must also stress something that is usually obscured. Namely the pressing need of also ending the export of arms from Israel. In addition, it is also a fact that Israel uses Gaza as an arena to test new weapons. The support of this procedure by other States through the purchasing of weapons from Israel is a criminal act.

As AKEL, we express our solidarity and support the struggle of the progressive forces in both Israel and Palestine, who are struggling against the occupation and fighting to safeguard the human rights of all the peoples in the Middle East.