European Parliament resolution of 22 November 2012 on the situation in Gaza (2012/2883(RSP))
Date: 2012-11-22
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: Palestine, Palestine question, cease-fire, civilian victim, establishment of peace, occupied territory, peacekeeping, terrorism








C_2015419EN.01012201.xml










16.12.2015   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 419/122





P7_TA(2012)0454
Situation in Gaza
European Parliament resolution of 22 November 2012 on the situation in Gaza (2012/2883(RSP))
(2015/C 419/19)

The European Parliament,






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having regard to the conclusions of the Foreign Affairs Council meeting of 19 November 2012,










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having regard to the press statements by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon of 18 and 19 November 2012,










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having regard to the Council conclusions on the Middle East Peace Process of 14 May 2012, 18 July and 23 May 2011, and 8 December 2009,










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having regard to the statements by High Representative Catherine Ashton of 12 November 2012 on the latest escalation of violence between Gaza and Israel, and of 16 November 2012 on the further escalation of violence in Israel and Gaza,










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having regard to the ceasefire agreement of 21 November 2012,










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having regard to the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 1949,










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having regard to the Charter of the United Nations,










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having regard to the Interim Agreement on the West Bank and Gaza Strip of 18 September 1995,










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having regard to the Oslo Accords (‘Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements’) of 13 September 1993,










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having regard to Rule 110(2) and (4) of its Rules of Procedure,










A.


whereas the recent escalation of violence has resulted in the loss of life and unacceptable suffering to the civilian population of both parties involved;










B.


whereas Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced a ceasefire at a news conference in Cairo on 21 November 2012; whereas, according to this ceasefire, ‘Israel shall stop all hostilities in the Gaza Strip, land, sea and air including incursions and targeting of individuals’ while ‘all Palestinian factions shall stop all hostilities from the Gaza Strip against Israel, including rocket attacks and attacks along the border’;










C.


whereas Parliament has repeatedly expressed its support for the two-state solution with the State of Israel and an independent, democratic and viable State of Palestine living side by side in peace and security, and called for the creation of the conditions for the resumption of direct peace talks between the parties;










D.


whereas the blockade of, and the humanitarian crisis in, the Gaza Strip continues despite numerous calls by the international community for the opening of crossings for the flow of humanitarian aid, commercial goods and persons to and from Gaza, as also reiterated in the Council conclusions of 14 May 2012;










E.


whereas Parliament has repeatedly expressed its strong commitment to the security of the State of Israel; whereas the Council conclusions of 14 May 2012 also reiterated the fundamental commitment of the EU and its Member States to the security of Israel, condemned in the strongest terms violence deliberately targeting civilians, including rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip, and called for the effective prevention of arms smuggling into Gaza;












1.


Expresses grave concern about the situation in Gaza and Israel and considers deeply regrettable the loss of civilian life, including among women and children; welcomes the ceasefire agreement announced in Cairo and calls for its full implementation; stresses that all attacks must end immediately as they cause unjustifiable suffering among innocent civilians, and calls for an urgent de-escalation and cessation of hostilities; commends the efforts of Egypt and other actors to mediate for a sustainable ceasefire and welcomes the mission of the United Nations Secretary-General to the region;












2.


Strongly condemns the rocket attacks on Israel from the Gaza Strip, which Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza must cease immediately; stresses that Israel has the right to protect its population from these kinds of attacks, while pointing out that, in doing so, it must act proportionately and ensure the protection of civilians at all times; stresses the need for all sides fully to respect international humanitarian law, and that there can be no justification for the deliberate targeting of innocent civilians;












3.


Condemns the terrorist attack on a bus carrying civilians in Tel Aviv on 21 November 2012;












4.


Reiterates its strong support for the two-state solution on the basis of the 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as capital of both states, and with the State of Israel and an independent, democratic and viable State of Palestine living side by side in peace and security;












5.


Stresses again that peaceful and non-violent means are the only way to achieve a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians; calls again for the creation of the conditions for the resumption of direct peace talks between the two parties;












6.


Supports, in this connection, Palestine’s bid to become a UN non-member observer, and considers this an important step in making Palestinian claims more visible, stronger and more effective; calls, in this connection, on the EU Member States and the international community to find an agreement in this direction;












7.


Urges the EU and the Member States again to play a more active political role in the efforts aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians; supports the High Representative in her efforts to create a credible perspective for relaunching the peace process;












8.


Reiterates its call for the lifting of the blockade of the Gaza Strip, conditional upon an effective control mechanism to prevent the smuggling of arms into Gaza, in recognition of Israel’s legitimate security needs; calls also for steps to be taken to allow the reconstruction and economic recovery of Gaza;












9.


Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the EU Special Representative to the Middle East Peace Process, the President of the UN General Assembly, the governments and parliaments of the UN Security Council members, the Middle East Quartet Envoy, the Knesset and the Government of Israel, the President of the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian Legislative Council.