European Parliament resolution of 13 December 2012 on the Israeli government's decision to expand settlements in the West Bank (2012/2911(RSP))
Date: 2012-12-13
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: Israel, Palestine, Palestine question, autonomy, establishment of peace, political cooperation, territorial law








C_2015434EN.01013001.xml










23.12.2015   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 434/130





P7_TA(2012)0506
Israeli government's decision to expand settlements in the West Bank
European Parliament resolution of 13 December 2012 on the Israeli government's decision to expand settlements in the West Bank (2012/2911(RSP))
(2015/C 434/12)

The European Parliament,






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having regard to the Charter of the United Nations,










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having regard to the relevant UN resolutions: UN General Assembly Resolutions 181 (1947) and 194 (1948), and UN Security Council Resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), 1397 (2002), 1515 (2003), and 1850 (2008),










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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 the Interim Agreement on the West Bank and Gaza Strip of 28 September 1995,










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having regard to the statements by the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, in particular those on settlement expansion of 8 June 2012 and 2 December 2012,










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having regard to the decision of the United Nations General Assembly of 29 November 2012 to grant Palestine non-member observer state status,










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having regard to the Council conclusions on the Middle East Peace Process of 10 December 2012 and 14 May 2012,










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










A.


whereas the Israeli Government announced on 2 December 2012 the planned construction of 3  000 new settlement units in the West Bank and East Jerusalem; whereas, if implemented, the announced plans would undermine the viability of the two-state solution, with special regard to the E1 area, where settlement constructions would divide the West Bank in two, rendering impossible the creation of a viable, contiguous and sovereign Palestinian State;










B.


whereas the Israeli Government announced on 2 December 2012 the withholding of USD 100 million in Palestinian tax revenues; whereas monthly tax transfers are a crucial element in the Palestinian Authority’s budget; whereas Israeli Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz said that tax revenues were withheld to pay off Palestinian debts to the Israeli Electric Corporation;










C.


whereas the EU has repeatedly confirmed its support for the two-state solution, with the state of Israel and an independent, democratic, contiguous and viable state of Palestine living side by side in peace and security;










D.


whereas the Oslo Accords of 1993 divided the territory of the West Bank into three zones, i.e. Areas A, B and C; whereas Area C, which is under Israeli civil and security control, constitutes 62 % of the territory and is the only continuous area, with most of the fertile and resource-rich land in the West Bank; whereas the Interim Agreement on the West Bank and Gaza Strip of 1995 stated that Area C would be gradually transferred to Palestinian jurisdiction;










E.


whereas the United Nations General Assembly decided on 29 November 2012 by an overwhelming majority, with 138 votes in favour, 9 against, and 41 abstentions, to grant Palestine non-member observer state status in the UN;












1.


Expresses its deepest concern about the Israeli Government’s announcement regarding the planned construction of approximately 3  000 new housing units in the West Bank, including in East Jerusalem;












2.


Stresses again that such expansion may represent a step undermining the prospects of a viable Palestine, with Jerusalem as the shared capital of both it and Israel;












3.


Stresses that Israeli settlements in the West Bank and in East Jerusalem are illegal under international law; calls for an immediate, complete and permanent freeze on all Israeli settlement construction and expansion activities, and for a stop to further evictions of Palestinian families from their homes and the demolition of Palestinian houses;












4.


Condemns the declarations made by the political leader of Hamas, Khaled Meshal, rejecting the recognition of the State of Israel and clearly refusing any Israeli presence in Jerusalem, and calls on Hamas to recognise Israel’s right to exist;












5.


Deeply regrets the decision by the Israeli Government to withhold USD 100 million in Palestinian tax revenues, which undermines the Palestinian Authority’s budget, and calls for the immediate transfer of these revenues; encourages involved parties to settle all outstanding financial disputes under the mediation of the EU;












6.


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 a secure State of Israel and an independent, democratic, contiguous and viable Palestinian State living side by side in peace and security; stresses again that peaceful and non-violent means are the only way to achieve a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians, and calls in this context for the resumption of direct peace talks between the two parties; calls on all parties to refrain from any unilateral action which could undermine or hinder peace efforts and the prospects for a negotiated peace agreement;












7.


Calls again for full and effective implementation of all existing EU legislation and EU-Israel bilateral agreements by the EU and its Member States, and stresses that all provisions of the EU-Israel Association Agreement concerning the respect of human rights of the Palestinians should be respected; reiterates the EU’s commitment to ensure continued, full and effective implementation of existing European Union legislation and bilateral arrangements applicable to settlement products;












8.


Continues to call, in the same spirit, for Palestinian reconciliation, which is the way to reunite Palestinians living in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, who are part of the same Palestinian people;












9.


Urges the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli Government to relaunch the Middle East peace process; stresses, moreover the importance of protecting the Palestinian population and its rights in Area C and in East Jerusalem, which is essential for keeping the viability of the two-state solution alive;












10.


Urges the EU and its Member States once again to play a more active political role, also within the Quartet, in the efforts aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians; supports the Vice-President/High Representative in her efforts to create a credible prospect of relaunching the peace process;












11.


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.