Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-09-24-Speech-3-198"
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"en.20030924.5.3-198"2
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"Mr President, there is no doubt that we are facing a catastrophic situation in the Middle East, and one of course wonders who is to be blamed for it. It would be far too simple to attribute responsibility to one side alone, but it must give us pause for thought when Abraham Burg, a member of the Israeli Knesset whom we welcomed to this House some time ago, tells us that the Israel of today has the choice between Jewish radicalism and democracy, settlements or hope for both peoples, the deceptive visions of barbed wire, street blockades and suicide attacks or an international border between two states and Jerusalem as their shared capital.
I believe that what Mr Burg is telling us calls us back to something present at the birth of Israel and of what could have become Palestine, and that is the decision of the United Nations. Some of those who spoke before me have made it clear that we have to get the United Nations more deeply involved, with a peacekeeping force to bring peace to this region. At present, that is not yet accepted, but I hope that the situation does not have to deteriorate still further and become even more extreme before we can accept the involvement of the United Nations and of peacekeeping troops.
Let me add another observation on terrorism, this one from Avi Shlaim, writing in today’s
: ‘The real obstacle to peace is Sharon, not Arafat.’ I think that is perhaps putting it in rather too simple terms, and provocative ones at that. I share the view expressed by the Presidency, that neither Sharon nor Arafat are angels of peace, and that what is needed instead is other people who are capable of making peace. I am very grateful, too, to Mr Zimeray for very recently bringing to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy people from Israel and Palestine who want to make peace.
I have two reasons for the profound conviction that leads me to abominate terrorism; not only does it kill innocent people along with the so-called enemy, but it also always bears within itself the seeds of self-destruction. It is not only Israel’s retaliation attacks that I have in mind; I also believe that a society built upon terrorism possesses an inherent capacity for self-destruction. Whilst I understand why the Presidency is taking the initiative in having certain organisations blacklisted, the one thing I would like the Council and the Commission to tell us is what we are to do about this shameful wall that runs through Israel. On what list are we going to put that? The fact is that there is violence other than terrorism in the traditional sense. Perhaps we ought to maintain a list of actions that are detrimental to peace but do not constitute terrorism. This wall – God knows – should be on it."@en1
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