Dear President Schulz, President Barroso, High Representative Ashton and President Van Rompuy,

 

A humanitarian disaster in Gaza has been unfolding before the eyes of the world. The EU cannot remain inactive. It has to respond to the mounting public opinion demanding an end of this tragedy and abiding by its own legislation as outlined in Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

 

An immediate ceasefire is needed that would put an end to the killing and suffering of even more civilians, many of them children, that would allow immediate access to Gaza of humanitarian aid, particularly to provide for urgent medical needs. In this regard the Council Conclusions on the Middle East Peace Process, of 22 July 2014;

 

“call for the immediate, sustained and unconditional opening of crossings for the flow of humanitarian aid, commercial goods and persons to and from the Gaza Strip, in line with UNSC Resolution 1860 (2009).”

 

We welcome the fact that the Council reiterated its position;

 

“that the only way to resolve the conflict is through an agreement that ends the occupation which began in 1967”, and that “the preservation of the viability of a two-state solution” must remain a priority.  

 

We equally welcome that;

 

“Reaffirming its commitment to implement the Council Conclusions of May and December 2012 as well as the applicability of international human rights and humanitarian law in the occupied Palestinian territory, the EU calls on Israel to halt continued settlement expansion, including East Jerusalem, especially in sensitive areas such as Har Homa, Givat Hamatos and E1, which severely threatens the two state solution;

to put an end to settler violence;

to the worsening of living conditions for Palestinians in Area C;

to demolitions – including of EU funded projects – evictions and forced transfers; and;

to increasing tensions and challenges to the status quo on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif.”

 

Consequently, we the undersigned Members of the European Parliament, urge you to act:

– to reach an immediate cease-fire;

– to secure access to humanitarian aid and urgent medical supplies in the Gaza Strip;

– to take actions for Israel to respect international human rights and humanitarian law as stipulated by Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement;

– to demand that Israel puts an end to all actions threatening the two-state solution;

– to give your explicit support to the Israeli writers and journalists who are fighting against the policy of their government, in great isolation.

 

The Members of the European Parliament:

Martina Anderson

Neoclis Sylikiotis

Iosu Juaristi Abaunz

Marina Albiol

Margrete Auken

Fernando Maura Barandiarán

Beatriz Becerra

Malin Bjork

Lynn Boylan

Matt Carthy

Maria Dolores Lola Sanchez Caldentey

Nessa Childers

Javier Couso

Pal Csaky

Dennis De Jong

Fabio De Masi

José Inácio Faria

João Ferreira

Eleonora Forenza

Katrougalos Georgios

Rina Ronja Kari

Katerina Konecna

Kostadinka Kuneva

Merja Kyllönen

Patrick Le Hyaric

Paloma López

Sabine Lösing

Marisa Matias

Curzio Maltese

Fernando Maura

Louis Michel

Anne-Marie Mineur

Liadh Ní Ríada

Younous Omarjee

Pablo Echenique-Robba

Teresa Rodríguez

María Pagazaurtundúa Ruiz (

Sofia Sakorafa

Jordi Sebastià

Lidia Senra

Barbara Spinelli

Bart Staes

Josep Maria Terricabras

Ángela Vallina

Marie-Christine Vergiat

Miguel Viegas

Francisco Sosa Wagner

Gabriele Zimmer

Inês Zuber

(signatories as of 29/07/2014)