WRITTEN QUESTION E-0898/04 by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Intimidation of well-known Israeli conscientious objectors who oppose the occupation of Palestinian territory by subjecting them to lengthy and repeated imprisonment.
Date: 2004-03-23
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Israel, Palestine question, conscientious objection, imprisonment, national service

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/907

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 2004)

The Commission reacted to the failure of Italy to communicate measures relating to the transposition of
relevant legislation on time by opening infringement proceedings under Article 226 of the EC Treaty.

This procedure was terminated after Italy communicated on 24 September 2003, details of Legislative
Decree No 267 of 27 July 2003.

Before the adoption of the Legislative Decree,
in several
important respects, the text proposed by the Italian authorities did not correspond with the requirements
of the amended Directive. The Commission intervened, by letter, with the Italian authorities but the text as
adopted still incorporated the provisions which do not, in the opinion of the Commission, concord with
the requirements of Community legislation.

the Commission had become aware that,

The Commission, not having received a reply from the Italian authorities to its letter, will now consider the
opening of further infringement proceedings.

(2004/C 84 E/1002)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0898/04

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(23 March 2004)

Subject: Intimidation of well-known Israeli conscientious objectors who oppose the occupation of

Palestinian territory by subjecting them to lengthy and repeated imprisonment

1.
Is the Commission aware that military service has traditionally been compulsory in Israel for men
and women but in practice there have been broad exemptions for orthodox Jews, non-Jewish residents and
people who report physical or mental problems, and up until 2002 there was a right to refuse to do
military service on personal grounds of conscientious objection, just as in European countries?

2.
Is the Commission also aware that as a result of the long-term occupation of Palestinian territory by
Israel and the growing number of clashes with the civilian population (cid:1) following roadblocks, searches of
residential areas and air attacks (cid:1) since August 2002 the government has tightened up its policy and has
begun to intimidate young men who have openly expressed their conscientious objection to the
occupation by sending them to jail?

3.
Does the Commission also realise that there are now signs that the growing group of refuseniks who
oppose the occupation are being seen not as principled or unworldly pacifists but as political opponents,
and whenever they have served their sentences they will be conscripted again under the slogan if you
won’t serve for love, do it out of fear, and if they refuse again they will have to return to prison?

4.
Is the Commission aware that the prison sentences for carrying out orders found to be unlawful or
reckless initiatives that lead to civilian deaths are often only one month, i.e. very short in relation to the
one to two year sentences imposed for each refusal to carry out military service?

5.
Is the Commission prepared to use the EU-Israel association agreement to find ways of tackling this
ever greater hardening of Israeli society and hence of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and to prevent the
Israeli government from imposing ever stricter and possibly even endless sentences on conscientious
objectors who oppose the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza strip?

C 84 E/908

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(23 April 2004)

The Commission is attentively monitoring what happens to Israeli conscientious objectors and reservists
who refuse to serve in the Occupied Territories.

The Commission Delegation in Tel Aviv keeps abreast of developments and, in fact, recently received a
visit by representatives of the group for Israeli conscientious objectors, at their request.

While careful to avoid unwarranted interference in internal Israeli
legislative matters, the Commission
intends to continue monitoring developments, as it would monitor any other human-rights issue, and,
where necessary, to raise the matter in the appropriate forum. Human-rights issues relating to Israel are
usually discussed as part of the political dialogue within the Association Council, under the guidance of the
EU Presidency and the Israeli Foreign Minister.

The next meeting of the Association Council with Israel is due to take place in the winter, in late 2004 or
early 2005.

(2004/C 84 E/1003)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0903/04

by Ingo Friedrich (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(19 March 2004)

Subject: Termination of European Documentation Centres’ (EDCs) preferential subscription to the EC/EU

Official Journal (printed edition)

The rights and obligations of the EDCs are set out in the written agreements last concluded in 1996
between the then DG X and the individual EDCs. Article 2 of the agreement states that the Commission
shall supply publications of the European Union’s institutions to the EDCs on a regular basis and free of
charge.

Unfortunately, since 1 January 2004 and 1 May 2003 respectively, the paper editions of the Official
Journal of the EU and COM documents have no longer been supplied to the EDCs under the free
subscription system. As the sole official source of legislation, the Official Journal of the EU is legally
binding only in its paper edition. There are discrepancies between the printed and electronic versions. It is,
therefore, of great importance for EDC users. It would be desirable if the 55 European Documentation
Centres in Germany continued to receive it free of charge.

The Commission requires the EDCs to maintain archives. Having to research and print electronic EU
documents for users would entail a major additional input of staff and financial resources and would
require checks to see whether the EDCs have the necessary technology available for that purpose.

The Commission has thus far not granted the EDCs any financial aid. Would it be possible, in the public
interest and in support of transparency, to continue to supply the important publications free of charge?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(20 April 2004)

The Commission shares the concern of the Honourable Member for the adequate distribution of materials
to the European Documentation Centres (EDCs) and thanks him for his question which allows the
Commission to clarify several points.

The decision to end the EDCs’ preferential subscription to the paper edition of the L & C series of the
Official Journal (OJ) was taken by the Publications Office, whose Management Committee is composed of
the Secretaries-General of all European Institutions. In view of the high cost of distribution of the paper
edition of the OJ, the institutions represented in the Management Committee of the Publications Office
have adopted a strategy encouraging distribution of the OJ on CD-ROM.