Summary: October 20, 2003: Statement to the Tenth Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations by H.E. Ambassador Marcello Spatafora, Permanent Representative of Italy to the UN on behalf of the European Union. ILLEGAL ISRAELI ACTION IN OCCUPIED EAST JERUSALEM AND THE REST OF THE OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY (New York)
Mr. President,
I have the honor to speak on behalf of the European Union. The Acceding Countries Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovakia and Slovenia, the Associated Countries Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey, align themselves with this statement.
Mr. President,
The European Union is firmly committed to the clear objective of two States, Israel and a viable and democratic Palestinian State, living side by side in peace and security, in the framework of a comprehensive peace in the Middle East, as laid out in the Road Map.
The European Union is deeply concerned by the situation in the region and has noted that, despite support given by the international community to the quest for a just and lasting solution, insufficient effort has been made by the concerned parties to seize the opportunity for peace set out in the Road Map, underscored by the recent Quartet Ministerial Statement issued September 26 last. On the contrary, rising violence is bringing added suffering and death to both the Israeli and the
Palestinian peoples and putting at risk security in the region and beyond.
The European Union therefore calls on both parties - Israel and the Palestinian Authority to live up to the commitments they undertook at the Aqaba summit on 4 June 2003.
The European Union urges all sides in the region to immediately implement policies conducive to dialogue and negotiations. The EU relationship with those who will take steps to the contrary will be inevitably affected by such behaviour.
The European Union welcomes initiatives from civil society on both sides and is ready to further assist in the effort to promote rapprochement, confidence building and the search for a lasting peace.
Mr. President,
The European Union strongly condemns the intensification of suicide attacks and other acts of violence that have occurred over the last few weeks and calls upon all sides to refrain from any provocative action which can further escalate the tension.
The European Union strongly condemns the vile terrorist attack that took the lives of three US citizens near the Eretz checkpoint in the Gaza strip on 15 October and expresses its condolences to the bereaved families. The EU expects that the perpetrators will be brought to justice.
Terrorist attacks against Israel have no justification whatsoever. The European Union reiterates that the fight against terrorism in all its forms remains one of the priorities of the EU as well as of the entire international Community and that it is the duty of all countries, in particular of those in the region, to actively cooperate in the fight against terrorism and to abstain from all support, direct or indirect, to terrorist organizations.
The European Union emphasizes once again that the Palestinian Authority must concretely demonstrate its determination in the fight against extremist violence and urges the PA and its President to take immediate, decisive steps to consolidate all Palestinian security services under the clear control of a duly empowered Prime Minister and Interior Minister, and confront individuals and groups conducting and planning terrorist attacks.
The European Union recognizes Israel's right to protect its citizens from terrorist attacks. It urges the Government of Israel, in exercising this right, to exert maximum effort to avoid civilian casualties and take no action that aggravates the humanitarian and economic plight of the Palestinian people. It also calls on Israel to abstain from any punitive measures which are not in accordance with international law, including extra judicial killings.
Mr. President,
The European Union is particularly concerned by the route marked out for the so-called security fence in the Occupied West Bank. The envisaged departure of the route from the "green line" could prejudge future negotiations and make the two-State solution physically impossible to implement. It would cause further humanitarian and economic hardship to the Palestinians. Thousands of Palestinians west of the fence are being cut off from essential services in the West Bank, Palestinians east of the
fence will lose access to land and water resources.
The European Union calls on Israel to reverse its settlement policy and to dismantle settlements built after March 2001.
The European Union reiterates its determination to contribute in all aspects of the implementation of the Road Map and stresses the importance and urgency of setting up a credible and effective third-party monitoring mechanism.
Thank you, Mr. President.
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