Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-01-31-Speech-3-093"
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"en.20010131.5.3-093"2
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". – Madam President, I am very grateful for this opportunity to speak briefly in this debate. I do not intend to repeat any of the things I said in the last debate nor do I intend to repeat what the President and the High Representative have just said, not because it is not important, but because repetition would insult the intelligence of the House.
If the Palestinian Authority collapsed, it would be a very severe blow to prospects for peace in the region, Israeli security would be threatened and our efforts to promote cooperation and stability in the Middle East would be undermined. That is why both the Palestinian Authority and the international community at large must look beyond the immediate crisis and consider how to deal with the steadily widening gap in Palestinian finances.
There is one other point I should make and I make it with all due delicacy, but I do not think that it is contrary to the experience of honourable Members of this House who have recently been in the region. Whatever the appalling problems faced by the Palestinian Authority, with which I strongly sympathise, nothing would justify practices that fall below the level of probity that we have the right to expect from any recipient of our funds and that citizens in any community have every right to expect from their governing agencies. I believe I am right in saying, as I mentioned a moment or two ago, that some honourable Members who have recently been in the area have strong views on this subject.
We wish to play our part in sustaining the Palestinian Authority, but if we are to do that then we have to be able to assure the budgetary authority of the European Union, which has to answer to Europe’s taxpayers, that the money we make available is being well spent and properly spent.
I repeat what I said just now, that we want to do what we can to assist the Palestinian Authority. I hope very much that the authorities in Israel will end the economic and financial blockade of Palestinian areas because, in the short, the medium and the long term, this will increase instability and sustain the violence.
Naturally, we all hope for progress in the peace talks. Naturally, we all believe it would be foolish to speculate on the post-election scenario in Israel. It is for the people of Israel to make their democratic choice and then for the rest of us to deal with the consequences. Naturally, we are all seriously concerned about the loss of life on both sides. There have already been a high number of victims because of an excessive use of force and we are deeply worried about the extra-judicial killings perpetrated by Israeli security forces. Not only does this undermine the prospects of achieving a negotiated settlement, it is also unacceptable for a democratic nation to resort to such means in grave violation of human rights and the rule of law.
Let me be equally clear, we are also deeply concerned by the killing of Israeli civilians by Palestinians and by the recent executions of Palestinians. This too is unacceptable, especially given the Palestinian authorities’ earlier commitment to a moratorium on the death penalty.
We also remain concerned about the humanitarian situation in the West Bank and Gaza. The remaining closures by Israel are having devastating effects on the Palestinian economy and therefore, not surprisingly, on political stability. They are even affecting the import of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territories. For example, the Palestinian Authority has notified the Commission’s representative in Jerusalem that the official inauguration of the Gaza Hospital – a hospital with which this Parliament is perhaps all too familiar – originally foreseen for mid-January, has had to be postponed until further notice. The situation has deteriorated further, and staff and patients are prevented from even reaching the hospital. Similarly equipment and supplies, such as oxygen, medicines and fuel, cannot reach the hospital and further building work has had to be suspended.
In its preliminary implementation report following the December emergency appeal, UNWRA also raises concern about serious difficulties in the delivery of food, the delivery of construction material, medical items and other essential supplies. The security of staff engaged in humanitarian assistance has been severely compromised.
I very much regret that the situation has continued to deteriorate. However, we have continued to make our position crystal clear. We have demanded that the remaining closures on the Palestinian economy should be lifted. We have asked Israel to end immediately the withholding of revenue payments due to the Palestinian Authority and we have reacted promptly to the crisis by addressing both the humanitarian situation and the precarious budgetary situation of the Palestinian Authority.
In December the Commission provided EUR 15 million in emergency aid, EUR 14.5 million alone to UNWRA in response to its emergency appeal. In addition, we disbursed a EUR 27.5 million special cash facility in the belief that it was in the interest of both sides not to undermine the Palestinian Authority’s ability to pay salaries. In the same spirit, the Commission set up the new cash facility of EUR 90 million which the presidency referred to. I am very grateful to Parliament and the Council for making that prudential transfer possible before Christmas. Last week I dispersed a first tranche of EUR 30 million to the Palestinian Authority.
We need to look at the likely situation for the rest of this year. As our resources are limited, we need to examine carefully how to proceed further. If we continue drawing monthly payments from the special cash facility in order to meet the current administrative needs of the Palestinian Authority, including payment of civil servants’ salaries, education, health and other public services, funds will very soon run out.
The Palestinian Authority is now facing an ongoing fall in revenue and a rising deficit. They will need to adjust their policies. Instead of just baling out month-to-month we need to look at how to help over the longer term. Indeed the European Union and the wider international community have an interest in preserving the economic and institutional framework of the Palestinian Authority, which we have helped to create and which we have helped to fund more generously than any one else."@en1
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