# CE2004078EN.01072301.xml

| 27.3.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 78/723 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 78/723

---

(2004/C 78 E/0773)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1747/03

by Anna Karamanou (PSE) to the Commission

(26 May 2003)

Subject:   Israel — removal of restriction on movement from and to the occupied territories

Subject:

According to information from Amnesty International, the Israeli Government has recently decided to require all foreigners entering Gaza to sign a ‘declaration of waiver’ exonerating Israel of any liability in the event of their death or injury. Amnesty International states that entry to the occupied territories has been denied to AI members refusing to sign this declaration, significantly hampering the organisation's work. Fears are being expressed that this tactic is an attempt to relieve the Israeli authorities of their duty to ensure that the armed forces respect human rights in all circumstances. It is also considered likely to impede outside monitoring and scrutiny of the conduct of the Israeli army and to lead to an immediate increase in killings in Gaza.

Does the Commission intend to put pressure on the Israeli Government in order to:

| 1. | have the new restriction on movement from and to the occupied territories lifted, and |
| --- | --- |

1.

have the new restriction on movement from and to the occupied territories lifted, and

| 2. | call for the posting of international monitors in Israel and the occupied territories, in order to ensure that it abides by international standards? |
| --- | --- |

2.

call for the posting of international monitors in Israel and the occupied territories, in order to ensure that it abides by international standards?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(26 June 2003)

(26 June 2003)

Following parallel demarches in Israel by the Union Troïka and in Athens by the Greek Presidency, the Commission would like to inform the Honourable Member that the Commission formally raised with the Israeli Ambassador to the Union the restrictive security measures in place at the Erez Crossing on 23 May 2003.

The Commission underlined that the current practise of denying access, requesting information beyond customary norm, and demanding a security waiver to be signed by international staff entering Gaza was of particular concern because Commission/ECHO staff and contractors in general do not carry diplomatic passports. The Commission was aware of Israeli security concerns and fully understood the increased sensitivity in the wake of recent bombings in Tel Aviv carried out by foreign passport holders. However, the near-total closure was disproportionate, and several measures newly introduced, e.g. waiver forms and detailed information on humanitarian projects, have no apparent relation to security concerns.

It further stated that if these restrictive measures continued, international donors would have to consider suspending operations in the Gaza Strip and that a new deterioration of the humanitarian situation was not in Israel's security interests.

The Israeli Ambassador showed understanding for the Commission's points and undertook to convey the Commission's concerns to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has not reacted as of yet.

Regarding the posting of international monitors, the Commission would like to inform the Honourable Member that this issue is being discussed in the framework of the Quartet.

The Commission obviously welcomes any measure taken that would lead to an improvement of the current situation.

---