European Parliament resolution on the situation in the Middle East
Date: 2000-10-05
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: Israel, Middle East, Palestine question, political cooperation, political violence, settlement of disputes

22.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 178/283

Thursday 5 October 2000

8.
Calls, therefore, on the Commission to allocate/ensure the availability of the resources and expertise
needed to develop and collect data, for the EU as a whole and for each Member State, as well as for the
applicant countries, in order to improve the quality of the annual report and the ongoing debate on equal
opportunities in Europe;

9.
Considers that actions should be laid down and steps taken to overcome the obstacles to women’s
access to decision-making posts in the field of political and trade union activity and within firms, and to
identify the disincentives (such as inadequate support for female party members, inconvenient times and
places for meetings, lack of information or attitudes hostile to women’s presence and participation); further
considers that these actions could be used by the Commission and the Member States to promote aware-
ness-raising campaigns aimed at the general public in order to focus attention on the importance of a
balanced participation of women and men in decision-making;

10.
Calls on the Commission to set up an investigation into the educational level of women, their
choice of education, the advice given to them on courses and careers to follow, and their chances to
participate on an equal footing with men in working life and in the political decision-making processes;
calls also on the Commission to set up a campaign to encourage diversity in the career choices of women
and girls;

11.
Calls on the Commission to undertake a study to determine what bearing part-time work and aty-
pical employment have on pay, social security contributions, women’s pensions and the spread of female
poverty;

Calls on the Commission to consider how far women and men can truly be said to be equal in

12.
terms of social, tax, and economic rights;

Considers that any type of aid, funding, or benefit granted by the Union must be subject to the

13.
requirement to observe the principle of equal pay for men and women;

14.
Calls on the Commission and the Member States, in particular, to see how new sectors such as
information and communications technology can create new job opportunities for women; believes also
that educational opportunities need to be considered, in addition to the possibility, in this connection, of
an information campaign to persuade more women to enter this sector;

15.
Recognises that equal opportunities also require men to take part in the process, for example, by
helping look after children, etc.; calls, therefore, on the Commission and Member States to ensure that
legislative measures do not have adverse implications for women’s involvement in the labour market;

16.

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission.

9. Situation in the Middle East

B5-0798 and 0799/2000

European Parliament resolution on the situation in the Middle East

The European Parliament,

3 having regard to its previous resolutions on the Middle East peace process,

3 having regard to the statements made by the European Union Presidency on 30 September and

1 October 2000,

C 178/284

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

22.6.2001

Thursday 5 October 2000

A. profoundly disturbed at the events of the last few days which have resulted in dozens of deaths,
including a number of children, and hundreds of casualties in Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, the West
Bank and Israel,

B. whereas the bloodshed which has claimed so many victims was sparked off by the provocative action
of Mr Ariel Sharon who decided, at a time of extreme tension in this area, to visit the Muslim religious
compound housing the Dome of the Rock,

C. whereas, despite the stalling of the peace process after the conclusion of the Camp David negotiations,
a number of efforts have already been made by the parties concerned, with the support of the United
States and the European Union, to restart it; whereas further proposals for the resumption of negotia-
tions have been made, concerning in particular Jerusalem,

D. whereas the European Union unreservedly endorses the peace process and is ready to make any

further effort which may be necessary to help guarantee permanent peace in this region,

1.

Expresses its sympathy to and solidarity with the families of all the victims;

Condemns the act of provocation which sparked off the conflict, with its tragic and all too familiar

2.
consequences;

Condemns also any use of force, which has tragic consequences for innocent victims, as a means of

3.
resolving conflicts between Israelis and Palestinians;

4.
Firmly condemns the disproportionate use of force by the Israeli army and demands its immediate
cessation; calls for the setting up of a committee of inquiry to investigate the events which have occurred
and establish where responsibility for them lies;

5.
Calls for all extremist elements to be isolated and for any irresponsible acts to be avoided, so as to
prevent the peace process coming to a complete halt; calls for measures to be taken jointly by the Israelis
and Palestinians to prevent any further acts of provocation and eruptions of violence;

Urges that, in future, the parties concerned refrain from any action likely to spark off further con-

6.
frontation;

7.
Calls on the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to ensure that all efforts are made to reach an agreement
which is now, more nearly than ever, within their grasp; hopes that recent meetings between Israeli and
Palestinian representatives will lead to positive conclusions, taking account of recent proposals to resolve
the situation in Jerusalem, in accordance with international law;

Calls on the French Presidency of the Council, the Commission and the High Representative for the
8.
CFSP to renew their efforts to convince the parties concerned to resume negotiations, by undertaking to
supply, through the Commission and the EU Special Envoy to the Middle East, European Union expertise
in all the areas concerned, in particular regional cooperation, together with the necessary resources to
assist in the implementation of the agreements;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Government

9.
and Parliament of Israel, the Palestinian National Authority and the Palestinian Legislative Council.