B4-0222, 0258, 0272, 0280, 0293 and 0298/95

Resolution on the peace process in the Middle East

The European Parliament,

- recalling its former resolutions on the Middle East peace process,

B. recalling its constant condemnation of all acts of terrorism,

C. deeply shocked at the number and nature of the attacks committed since the signing of the Declaration of Principles between Israel and the PLO on 13 September 1993, which laid the foundations of the peace process in the Middle East,

D. whereas the sole purpose of these attacks is to prevent the smooth running of the peace process and to return the region to a permanent war footing,

E. appalled by the bomb attack in Netanya on 22 January 1995 which resulted in the deaths of 21 Israelis and was committed, like the most recent terrorist attacks, by suicide squads causing countless victims amongst the population of Israel,

F. concerned at the increasing number of acts of violence in Israel and the Occupied Territories, in particular the killing of three Palestinian policemen by Israeli armed forces on 2 January, the killing of four Palestinians on 4 January and the killing of two Israeli civilians near Ramallah on 8 January,

G. worried by the fact that, since the signature of the Declaration of Principles, the number of Israeli settlers has continued to grow and building in existing settlements has continued, accompanied by confiscation of land, all facts which fuel Palestinian extremism,

H. underlining the need to reach a comprehensive peace in the Middle East,

1. Reiterates its most energetic condemnation of all forms of terrorism and their perpetrators, Hamas and the Islamic Jihad; strongly condemns the attack in Netanya and expresses its sympathy to the families of the victims;

2. Considers that the ban on new settlements is insufficient and calls on the Israeli authorities to prevent all confiscation of land and colonization in the Occupied Territories, since these exacerbate tension and constitute an obstacle to the peace process;

3. Insists that neither the Israeli nor the Palestinian sides should give in to terrorist blackmail, and that it would be irresponsible to allow terrorist actions to interrupt the peace process;

4. Condemns everyone in the Occupied Territories who supports or protects terrorists;

5. Calls on the Palestinian authorities to deal with the utmost severity with the people behind the suicide squads and other perpetrators of acts of violence;

6. Deplores the fact that these acts of terrorism have resulted in frontier closures which have an adverse effect on the Palestinians in the Occupied Territories;

7. Calls on the international community and, in particular, the Union and its Member States to put pressure on the states which fund the terrorist groups and/or play host to the leaders of such groups;

8. Stresses the urgent need to create conditions in which the Declaration of Principles may be fully implemented, in particular as regards the redeployment of the Israeli army and the holding of elections in the Palestinian territories which have been postponed since June 1994;

9. Calls on the European Union to use all its political and economic influence to urge the parties involved to fulfil their commitments so that the opportunity to establish a real peace between the Palestinian and Israeli peoples is not lost;

10. Calls on the European Union to take all appropriate political and economic measures to promote the process currently under way and to assist in reducing tension:

(a) in the short term there is a pressing need to solve the problem involving the Israeli customs authorities in order to remove the obstacles whereby goods sent by the Union to the Occupied Territories are held up in Israel;

(b) the sending of financial aid and investment promised to the Palestinian authorities should be facilitated;

(c) in the longer term, partnership projects in the Occupied Territories should be drawn up to make those territories economically and socially more independent of Israel;

(d) talks should start forthwith with the Israeli authorities and the other governments in the region in the light of the Euro-Mediterranean conference, the timetable of which, the agenda, procedural matters and the participants need to be discussed in advance with all the interested parties;

(e) the Union could play a part in encouraging the planning of regional and supranational cooperation projects in all areas where the authorities in the region feel they are necessary, possible and desirable;

11. Calls on the Union to continue its talks with Syria so that the latter contributes to the peace process, and to encourage the Israeli and Syrian Governments to advance their negotiations in order to establish peace and normal, full relations between their two countries;

12. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the Government of Israel and the Palestinian national authorities and to the Governments of Egypt, Syria and Jordan.