Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network – EMHRN

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EU-Israel Association Committee Meeting	Date: 10-05-2001

EMHRN letter in relation to the EU-Israel Association Committee Meeting, 21.5.2001 Copenhagen 10 May 2001 EU Foreign Ministers EU High Representative for CFSP European Commissioner Chris Patten Your Excellencies On behalf of the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network we address you in relation to the European Union’s Association Committee meeting which is due to take place on 21 May, 2001 within the framework of the Association Agreement with Israel. Article 2 of the Association Agreement which came into force on 1 June 2000 states that: "Relations between the Parties, as well as all the provisions of the Agreement itself, shall be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles, which guides their internal and international policy and constitutes an essential element of this Agreement." This is a legally binding Article and the European Union Council of Ministers and the European Union have an obligation to address the serious human rights violations which are taking place in the territories occupied by Israel on the West Bank and Gaza Strip and towards the Arab minority in Israel. Therefore we ask you to act urgently to end the human rights violations which have escalated over the past nine month involving: -excessive use of lethal force, killing more than 350 Palestinians, including at least 100 children, the vast majority of them unlawfully, and wounding at least 12,000 others; - demolition of houses and property, bombing and shelling of residential areas; - use of torture and other ill-treatment during arrests and under interrogation; often in prolonged incommunicado detention; - severe restrictions on freedom of movement; including siege of Palestinian towns and villages and other measures of collective punishment which has had a negative effect on the economy, disproportionately affecting the Palestinians both inside Israel and in the Occupied Territories - continuing settlement activities, including the expansion of the settlements and the installation of settlers in the occupied territories - the killing of 13 Arab citizens of Israel in October 2000 and continued discriminatory practices towards the Arab-Palestinian minority. We therefore urge you to take concrete and serious measures within the framework of the Agreement to call Israel to respect its human rights obligations and to ensure that immediate and verifiable steps are taken to address the serious human rights situation1. The implementation of these measures should be closely monitored by the EU in the near future with the view to reconsider or suspend the agreement at the next Association Council meeting should Israel continue to fail to comply with its obligations. We feel that unless the European Union addresses the violations committed by the State of Israel, the situation will deteriorate further and violence escalate to the dismay of both the Palestinian and Israeli people. If the EU fails to address the deteriorating human rights situation which is accompanying the intifada, Article 2 and the human rights protection which is meant to accompany the Association Agreement will lose its credibility and effectiveness. It will undermine the ongoing work for the development of the human rights dimension of the Barcelona process as it is contrary to Israel and the EU’s commitment to act in accordance with international human rights principles and obligations under international law. Thus, Israel should be asked to take action immediately to end the human rights violations committed in relation to the present intifada by banning the use of lethal force by the security forces against the civilian population2 ending the destruction of houses for punishment, for alleged security reasons, or targeted against Palestinians in a discriminatory way taking concrete actions to cease its settlement policy including in East Jerusalem; restoring the right to freedom of movement to the Palestinian people of the Occupied Territories by ending the closures, curfew and all other measures of collective punishment ending the use of torture or other ill-treatment; allowing detainees prompt access to lawyers and family; ensuring that members of families may visit all detainees putting an end to acts of extra-judicial killings condemned by the EU on several occasions ensuring full support for investigations into every killing and use of lethal force including the Arab citizens of Israel ceasing discriminatory practices towards the Arab minority in Israel, including its enjoyment of full economic and social rights In this way, we hope the EU will live up to the expectations of Palestinian, Israeli and other human rights organisations in the region that the EU takes a pro-active role to promote the values in the region upon which the Community is built. Sincerely, Abdelaziz Bennani, President of the EMHRN Endnotes: (1) Cf. Report of the human rights inquiry commission pursuant to Commission resolution of 19 October 2000 and resolutions of the 57th Commission on Human Rights at the UN (back) (2) except on occasions when the lives of others are in imminent danger; if lives are in imminent danger the source of the danger alone may be targeted

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