Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-01-15-Speech-3-177"
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"en.20030115.10.3-177"2
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"With the conclusion of an Association Agreement with the Republic of Lebanon, the EU is putting its own political credibility on the line, both internally and externally. As recently as at the last European Council, the Council of Copenhagen, the Council again acknowledged Israel’s legitimate concerns about her security. The Council also committed itself to the fight against international terrorism. The two central points of the foreign policy of EU Member States are not compatible with the power base that Hezbollah is forming in Lebanese politics. It is not for nothing that Southern Lebanon is known as ‘Hezbollahland’ these days. The party of Allah has been lord and master ever since Israel’s military withdrawal from the border area in May 2000. This Shiite terror organisation has built up an impressive military presence thanks to the combined cooperation of Syria and Iran. Including a large arsenal of missiles within range of the whole of the north of the Jewish state. All within easy reach of Lebanese Islamicists who unremittingly and openly advocate the physical destruction of Israel.
The attention being paid to the depressing situation on Israel’s northern border in the present resolution of this Parliament deals with the cause and effects and ignores the political reality in situ. This European unease will not upset Hezbollah. The party of Allah is simply not mentioned. How does the Council view that? I would like to ask the Greek Presidency what steps it intends to take against Hezbollah in Beirut, Damascus and Teheran. Diplomatic inactivity gives the EU absolutely no credibility as a peace broker in the Middle East.
Hezbollah is just as unlikely to be intimidated when it comes to direct and indirect involvement in terrorist activities against the state of Israel, including forming terrorist cells amongst Israeli Arabs and complete identification with the second Palestinian intifada. Or, as the secretary-general of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, puts it: the intifada in Palestine now forms their front line.
In short, if the common fight against terrorism is to have real credibility, the EU must immediately place Hezbollah on its list of terrorist organisations – hence my amendment – and the Lebanese authorities must assert their authority over the whole country. Only these measures will have the effect of stabilising the whole region and promoting peace in it, as they simultaneously send a signal to the destabilising regimes. A powerful stance such as this would also set the right tone for the negotiations on the EU’s future relationship with Damascus and Teheran.
Otherwise the European institutions would only be paying lip service to the bare fact of Israel’s existence and the global fight against terrorism. Until such time as the EU shows that it is taking these points very seriously in its relations with these countries, I will vote against an Association Agreement with Lebanon. What makes me even more resolute in my stance is that the European institutions are demanding virtually no genuine guarantees from Beirut regarding the observance of human rights."@en1
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