Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-10-09-Speech-4-009"
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"en.20031009.1.4-009"2
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"Mr President, I listened carefully to the statement by Mr Solana. Clearly, the Middle East is an area of major concern for us. Only this morning I was reading the
a Zurich daily with a fine reputation the world over. It contained an article calling for speedier distribution of funds to victims of the Holocaust. You may well wonder how these two issues are linked. They are linked because they both relate to an event that took place in Europe, and that event gave rise to the conflict in the Middle East we are debating today.
In the same newspaper I read that the United States Congress is preparing to impose sanctions on Syria. Sanctions will certainly not help to improve the situation. That is not the way to put an end to conflicts. Two days ago, Mr Naser Yusuf, the nominee for Minister of Internal Affairs in Mr Abu Ala’s new government, refused to swear allegiance to Yasser Arafat.
Mr Ariel Sharon acted in the same vein recently too. He declared he was ready to attack enemy targets wherever they might be. This is a threat. It imperils the very stability of the area as described by Mr Solana. Such a threat to the stability of the region will inevitably result in counter threats. In yesterday’s
Syria was reported as stating that it is of course prepared to defend itself against any aggression.
Clearly, the situation is particularly difficult and extremely complex. The European Parliament is preparing its position on the basis of the report drawn up by Mr Menendez del Valle.
I should like to focus on the first part of the report. In it, the Road Map is presented as the only possible solution to the current conflict. In this part of the report too, particular emphasis is placed on education for peace. Careful consideration should be given to the latter. There is some doubt as to whether education for peace really does exist amongst the Palestinian and Israeli people, or whether what actually exists is education for hatred. There is nothing to be gained from the latter. I believe this matter deserves attention.
Discussion of what should happen following implementation of the Road Map and the ensuing peace conference is best left until the time comes. I believe it is too early to discuss issues such as Jerusalem, Israel’s withdrawal to the 1967 borders and refugees. There are other more urgent matters to deal with just now. In this connection, I should like to say a few words about the security fence. The sections built beyond the 1967 borders amount to an act of aggression. The sections on the borders may prove to be a mistake. Nonetheless, if it is instrumental in preventing the death of even a single victim, the fence will not have been built in vain.
In conclusion, I should like to refer to an article by Mr Samuel Hadas. He was the first Ambassador of the State of Israel to the Kingdom of Spain and also to the Vatican City State. In his article, Mr Hadas maintains that the Quartet’s Road Map for the Middle East is the only way forward. He also states, however, that currently the way forward seems to lead into a maze from which there appears to be no way out. Mr Hadas concludes by stating that there will be no magic solutions. In his view the United States is the only power able to assist, or in other words, to pressurise the parties to get the peace process back on track. As an aside, I must say that in my opinion it is actually for the Quartet to apply pressure to the parties. Mr Hadas further states that until the United States and the international community understand that in the present circumstances Israelis and Palestinians are not in a position to get the peace process back on track themselves, both parties will continue to teeter on the brink of the abyss. I am convinced that the onus is on the international community and especially on the Quartet. I believe Parliament must support the Quartet and the European Union as they contribute to the Middle East peace process."@en1
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"Frankfurter Allgemeine"1
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