Israel’s attempt to silence the voices inside it calling for an end to the bloodshed in Gaza is denounced before the Commission
10 November 2023, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia
The Israeli government, in its attempt to silence all voices inside the country calling for a ceasefire and an end to the bloodshed in Gaza, is stepping up its policy of repression, targeting primarily the Palestinian Arab community in Israel. Yesterday, Thursday, 9 November, the Israeli authorities arrested a number of leaders of the Arab-Palestinian community in Israel.
On the initiative of the AKEL delegation in the European Parliament, a parliamentary question has been tabled denouncing the arrests and asking the European Commission what action it intends will take. The question is signed – together with AKEL MEP’s Giorgos Georgiou and Niyazi Kizilyurek – by 7 other left-wing MEPs from the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), the Communist Party of the Czech Republic (KSČM), Sinn Féin of Ireland (SF) and the “Independents for Change” of Ireland and Podemos of Spain.
Below is the full text of the question tabled:
The High Follow Up Committee is the highest official body of the Arab-Palestinian minority in Israel, composed of the Arab Council of Mayors, former and current MPs, and other representatives.
Since October 7, when the war began, the Palestinian leadership, led by the Follow-Up Committee, has exhibited the highest level of public responsibility and did anything in its power to de-escalate tensions between Arabs and Jews inside Israel.
Today, 09/11/2023, at least five leaders of the Palestinian minority in Israel, including the Chair of the High Follow Up Committee, Muhammad Barakeh, and former Members of Parliament Haneen Zoabi and Sami Abu Shehadeh, in addition to Yossef Tatour and Mahmoud Mawasi have been arrested this morning during a peaceful vigil calling for a ceasefire in Nazareth.
In the light of the latest news, how will the Commission,
- exert direct pressure to Israel for the immediate release of the leaders of the Palestinian minority in Israel?
- take more stringent and direct measures against Israel for its failure to respect human rights and the sovereignty of the Palestinians?
- review its trade partnership with Israel considering Israel’s systematic violations of EU standards on the rule of law?
The co-sponsoring MEP’s:
- Giorgos GEORGIOU (The Left)
- Eugenia RODRÍGUEZ PALOP (The Left)
- Chris MACMANUS (The Left)
- Kateřina KONEČNÁ (The Left)
- Niyazi KIZILYÜREK (The Left)
- Clare DALY (The Left)
- Idoia VILLANUEVA RUIZ (the Left)
- João PIMENTA LOPES (Η Αριστερά)
- Sandra PEREIRA (the Left)
