Stop the occupation of Palestine
For 40 years, the State of Israel has been occupying the Palestinian territories despite the large number of UN resolutions that clearly prohibit it. The occupation has had devastating consequences for both sides and has brought extensive suffering to the Palestinian people.
This is not about Jews against non-Jews, but about an expansionist policy of the State of Israel that clearly violates international law. Israel pays no heed to the UN resolutions concerning the occupation and structurally violates the international conventions to which an occupying nation is bound.
Needless to say, this violence does nothing more than provoke more violence. To de-escalate the conflict and prevent even more suffering on both sides, it is high time that the international community take action and put pressure on Israel to bring the occupation to an end.
The European Union has the ability and the responsibility, on its own and in a European context, to contribute to the restoration of peace and the reinstatement of international law in the Middle East. Europe has a strong instrument in its association treaty with Israel. This treaty offers Israel considerable financial benefits and can, in the event of serious human rights violations, be suspended.
Both the Palestinians and the Israelis want peace and freedom. Peace and occupation cannot co-exist. We want a viable and secure State of Palestine, a State of Israel with secure borders, and a just solution for the Palestinian refugees.
We, the undersigned, have different political, religious and ethnical backgrounds. We have different ideas about the problem and the road to peace in the Middle East. But we do all agree on one thing:
Israel must leave all of the territories it has been occupying since 1967 and respect all of the relevant UN resolutions.
To this extent we jointly call on:
- the national European parliaments and the European Parliament to sign this declaration;
- the national Governments and the European Commission to increase their commitment to this cause and to enforce the instruments mentioned above;
- all people to sign this declaration andspread the word.
This is not about Jews against non-Jews, but about an expansionist policy of the State of Israel that clearly violates international law. Israel pays no heed to the UN resolutions concerning the occupation and structurally violates the international conventions to which an occupying nation is bound.
Needless to say, this violence does nothing more than provoke more violence. To de-escalate the conflict and prevent even more suffering on both sides, it is high time that the international community take action and put pressure on Israel to bring the occupation to an end.
The European Union has the ability and the responsibility, on its own and in a European context, to contribute to the restoration of peace and the reinstatement of international law in the Middle East. Europe has a strong instrument in its association treaty with Israel. This treaty offers Israel considerable financial benefits and can, in the event of serious human rights violations, be suspended.
Both the Palestinians and the Israelis want peace and freedom. Peace and occupation cannot co-exist. We want a viable and secure State of Palestine, a State of Israel with secure borders, and a just solution for the Palestinian refugees.
We, the undersigned, have different political, religious and ethnical backgrounds. We have different ideas about the problem and the road to peace in the Middle East. But we do all agree on one thing:
Israel must leave all of the territories it has been occupying since 1967 and respect all of the relevant UN resolutions.
To this extent we jointly call on:
- the national European parliaments and the European Parliament to sign this declaration;
- the national Governments and the European Commission to increase their commitment to this cause and to enforce the instruments mentioned above;
- all people to sign this declaration andspread the word.
