Debate: Relations with the Palestinian Authority
Date: TUESDAY, 11 JULY 2023
Speaker: Evin Incir
Country: Hungary
Language: EN

If I asked anyone in here in our Parliament, please stand up if you would like to be treated as the Palestinian people are, expected to live a decent life under an abnormal situation, because there is nothing normal with occupation. I can promise you no one here would like to stand up. The freedom of the Palestinian people is also interlinked with the security of the Israeli people. The internationally recognised two-state solution, according to the 1967 borders with the city of Jerusalem as the capital of both states, remains the best way of bringing lasting peace, stability, security and equal rights to both people. What I just mentioned should not be controversial for anyone of us in here, because it is rooted in international law and the rule-based order that we claim we stand for in many other conflicts. But yet these recommendations seem to have created a debate above and beyond my understanding in this Chamber, in a few EU Member States with disinformation and misinformation and groundless allegations being spread. Colleagues, how controversial can it be to demand an end to corruption and human rights abuses by the Palestinian Authority? How controversial can it be to demand an end to terrorist attacks by actors on both sides, Palestine and Israel? How controversial can it be to demand an end to Israeli occupation and human rights abuses? How controversial can it be to demand from Israeli authorities to stop demolition and confiscation of EU-funded projects that is supposed to go to schools for Palestinian children? And if they continue their activities, every single cent must be paid back to the European taxpayers. How controversial can it be to let the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court do their job through looking into if war crimes have been committed? How controversial can it be to have a more long-term approach instead of yearly ad hoc cooperation and support to the Palestinian Authority? Remember the last time Commissioner Várhelyi refused to pay the financial support to the PA based on groundless allegations? It even led to Palestinian people not accessing cancer treatment. In the end, it all boils down to how controversial can it be to start treating the Palestinian people as we treat the Israeli people? Or do we believe international law only applies to some? And as Orwell said, some are more equal than others. Peace must be the ultimate goal wherever conflict appears. Freedom must be the ultimate goal wherever an occupation exists. Life must be the ultimate goal, where death is ever present. If we really believe in that, it should not be controversial to vote in favour of the negotiated and compromised takes on recommendations to the Council and the Commission on the relations with the Palestinian Authority and reject any amendments. I just want to remind us all in here that we have a duty to pave the way for peace and life, not further polarisation and death. Palestinian and Israeli human rights activists and organisations are right now calling on us to adopt these important recommendations.