B4-0553, 0554, 0555, 0556 and 0557/96

Resolution on Hezbollah attacks against Northern Israel and Israeli retaliation

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation in the Middle East and the peace process for this region,

- having regard to the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement between the European Union and Israel and the agreement being negotiated between the European Union and Lebanon,

- having regard to resolution 425 of the United Nations Security Council,

A. deeply concerned about the situation in Southern Lebanon and Northern Israel where attacks by the terrorist movement Hezbollah and the military response by Israeli forces have escalated in the last few days,

B. noting that in the course of these hostilities many innocent civilians have been killed or wounded and hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes,

C. believing that the recourse to and escalation of violence is a factor which seriously undermines the peace process,

D. noting with great concern that the acts of terrorism that have provoked this conflict have taken place with the support of third countries, especially Iran,

E. profoundly convinced that there exists no alternative to the continuation of the peace process to secure stability and security in the region and to guarantee the safety of the people living there,

1. Strongly condemns the rocket attacks against Israeli villages carried out by Hezbollah;

2. Believes that the extent of the Israeli military response to these violent attacks on its population is disproportionate, particularly regarding the consequences that its military actions are having for the civilian population of Lebanon;

3. Stresses its conviction that the peace process is the only viable solution to ensure long-term peace and stability in the Middle East and expresses its deep concern that military actions on this scale may have the result that opposition to the peace process in the region will increase considerably;

4. Calls for an immediate stop to the Hezbollah rocket attacks against Israel and calls on the Lebanese and particularly the Syrian governments to do everything in their power to prevent terrorist attacks from Lebanon against Israel and to stop lending any support to the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon;

5. Believes that once the Hezbollah rocket attacks come to an end, Israel should stop the bombardments which are forcing the evacuation of the civilian population;

6. Condemns the Iranian Government for its support of terrorist groups such as Hezbollah and urges it to cease its policy of opposition to the peace process in the Middle East;

7. Requests the Presidency of the European Union to undertake all diplomatic actions in order to play its role as a mediator to put an end to the present hostilities and to strengthen the European Union's contribution to the peace process in the Middle East;

8. Requests the Commission to grant urgent humanitarian aid to the Lebanese refugees;

9. Calls for compliance with resolution 425 of the United Nations Security Council, which guarantees the independence and the territorial integrity of Lebanon;

10. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of Israel, Lebanon, Syria and Iran.