Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-11-15-Speech-3-166"
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"en.20061115.14.3-166"2
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".
Mr President, Madam President-in-Office of the Council, Madam Vice-President of the Commission, ladies and gentlemen, the situation in the Middle East is at once worrying, dangerous and tragic. It is worrying because the conflicts have been going on for decades and there is no end in sight. It is dangerous because tensions between the opposing parties are constantly escalating, and because external powers – such as Syria and Iran – are increasingly exerting an influence. Finally, it is tragic because ordinary people, particularly large numbers of children, are among the victims.
I have just been informed that a woman has been killed and a minister’s bodyguard has had both legs blown off today by Qassam rockets. This has to stop. We have to say this to both sides, and we have to be credible. We Europeans must not turn a blind eye, but instead must take responsibility.
As we tell all the parties in the Middle East, a military solution is out of the question – we need peace through dialogue and through negotiations. We also say that a policy of ‘an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth’ is out of the question, as the situation will only escalate further, with each side responding to an attack by attacking the other with greater force. We need to break this cycle of violence. We ask this of both the Israeli and Palestinian sides.
The position of the Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats is crystal clear. We want to see an Israeli state with secure borders and, equally, a Palestinian state with secure borders. The dignity of an Israeli is the same as that of a Palestinian, and we must not apply double standards. We want to see an independent, democratic Lebanese state. Anyone who calls into question the right to exist of any of these states – there are already Israeli and Lebanese states, and there should be a Palestinian one – threatens to do lasting damage not only to peace in that region but also, the way circumstances are, to world peace.
The EU and others must now make a contribution to peace. I believe that the EU is very glad to be indeed making such a contribution by stationing troops in the region, although we should have liked to see a European armed forces rather than national troops from the individual Member States. This is an issue that the EU must consider for the future, however, as a means of making a genuinely European contribution in this regard. Nevertheless, the mere fact that troops are stationed there represents progress. The development towards our making a genuinely pan-European contribution – including military – must now continue, however.
It is now the turn of politicians, whose most important assets are confidence and credibility. When there is something to criticise, we must do so, irrespective of whether it is the Israelis or the Palestinians who are responsible. With regard to decisions of the Security Council – and I say this as someone who is very pro-American – it is unacceptable that all criticism or condemnation of Israel is vetoed by the United States.
I would say in all seriousness that this is not the way to achieve credibility nor, in particular, to build confidence in all the partners concerned. I believe that the EU’s opportunity lies in its credibility on this issue, because we recognise the right to exist of both the Israeli and Palestinian states and want to see peace in Lebanon.
If, with the massacre in Beit Hanoun – supposedly owing to a technical error – Israel caused these terrible consequences, an apology is not sufficient. Its policymaking in future must ensure it does not constantly react according to the ‘eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth’ principle."@en1
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