Post by Moses on Dec 28, 2005 13:56:48 GMT -5
For immediate release (20 December 2005)
European organisations today defied the refusal of EU Ministers to publish a report compiled by their own diplomats regarding Israeli violations of international law with regard to East Jerusalem. Over 30 Jewish, Palestinian, peace and anti-poverty groups from around Europe will publish the suppressed Report on their websites.
The report, which states that “Israel’s activities in Jerusalem are in violation of both its Roadmap obligations and international law” was shelved by EU foreign ministers at their 12 December Foreign Affairs (GAERC) meeting in Brussels, for fear of alienating Israel and reducing the EU's influence.
Yet, protesting groups point out, only one day after the report’s suppression, Israel announced the building of 300 new homes in the Maale Adumim settlement, the largest in the occupied territories, in violation of the Road Map and international law.
Pierre Galand, Senator in the Belgian Parliament and Chair of the European Co-ordinating Committee on Palestine (ECCP) said: “European diplomats had the courage to stress the alarming situation in East Jerusalem. In order to force the EU member states to respect their own commitment to International Law and Human Rights, we will publish the report on East Jerusalem on our websites, despite the EU refusal to do so.”
Dan Judelson, Secretary of European Jews for a Just Peace said "The EU are burying their heads in the sand and are thus co-responsible while East Jerusalem residents face repeated violations of international law and of simple standards of humanity, all at the hands of the Israeli state. If the EU sits on this report, we see it as our duty to make it as widely available as we can."
Nick Dearden, Senior Campaigns Officer at War on Want said: "The desperation of Palestinians across the West Bank now threatens those who live in East Jerusalem, as Israel inflames and intensifies its Occupation. By suppressing the truth, which their own diplomats have made clear to them, European governments have sent a clear message to Israel that its aggression will be met only with silence.”
ENDS
Pierre Galand, + 3222230756 eccp@skynet.be
Chairman, European Co-ordinating Committee of NGOs on the question of Palestine
Dan Judelson, + 44 (0) 779 339 2820
Secretary, European Jews for a Just Peace www.ejjp.org
Notes to Editors:
1) The suppressed report can be found on War on Want’s websitewww.waronwant.organd on the website of The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions www.icahd.org.
2) For media information call War on Want campaigns officer Nick Dearden on 07932 335464.
3) This move is also supported by:
Alternative Information Centre, Bethlehem & Jerusalem www.alternativenews.org
Arab Media Watch, UK www.arabmediawatch.blogspot.com
Association Belgo-Palestinienne
www.association-belgo-palestinienne
AIPPP Strasbourg www.protection-palestine.org
BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights, Bethlehem www.badil.org
Civimed Initiatives, Strasbourg www.protection-palestine.org
Collectif judéo-arabe et citoyen pour la paix, Strasbourg www.protection-palestine.org
Committee for a Just Peace in the Middle East, Luxembourg www.cercle.lu
Coordination de l'Appel de Strasbourg
www.protection-palestine.org
Een Ander Joods Geluid, Netherlands www.eajg.nl
Farrah France www.protection-palestine.org
Friends of Sabeel-UK www.sabeel.org/old/friends.html
Humanistic Peace Council, Netherlands agpolak@freeler.nl
ISM London www.ism-london.org.uk
Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions,Israel www.icahd.org
Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions-UK www.icahduk.org
Jews for Israeli Palestinian Peace, Sweden www.jipf.nu
Jews for Justice for Palestinians, UK www.jfjfp.org
Judische Stimme für gerechten Frieden in Nahost, Berlin www.juedische-stimme.de
Just Peace UK groups.yahoo.com/group/justpeaceuk
Netherlands Palestine Committee www.xs4all.nl/~npk
Network of Jews against theOccupation, Italy paceinmedioriente.iobloggo.com
NUS Black Students’ Campaign, UK
www.nusonline.co.uk/campaigns/blackstudentscampaign
Palestine Forum in Britain www.pfb.org.uk
Palestine Solidarity Campaign, UK www.palestinecampaign.org
Society for Austrian Arab Relations, Austria www.saar.at
Stop the Occupation, Netherlands. www.stopdebezetting.nl
Union Juive Francaise pour la Paix www.ujfp.org
Union des Progresssite Juifs de Belgiques www.upjb.be
War on Want, UK www.waronwant.org
Women in Black, The Netherlands www.vrouweninhetzwart.nl
European organisations today defied the refusal of EU Ministers to publish a report compiled by their own diplomats regarding Israeli violations of international law with regard to East Jerusalem. Over 30 Jewish, Palestinian, peace and anti-poverty groups from around Europe will publish the suppressed Report on their websites.
The report, which states that “Israel’s activities in Jerusalem are in violation of both its Roadmap obligations and international law” was shelved by EU foreign ministers at their 12 December Foreign Affairs (GAERC) meeting in Brussels, for fear of alienating Israel and reducing the EU's influence.
Yet, protesting groups point out, only one day after the report’s suppression, Israel announced the building of 300 new homes in the Maale Adumim settlement, the largest in the occupied territories, in violation of the Road Map and international law.
Pierre Galand, Senator in the Belgian Parliament and Chair of the European Co-ordinating Committee on Palestine (ECCP) said: “European diplomats had the courage to stress the alarming situation in East Jerusalem. In order to force the EU member states to respect their own commitment to International Law and Human Rights, we will publish the report on East Jerusalem on our websites, despite the EU refusal to do so.”
Dan Judelson, Secretary of European Jews for a Just Peace said "The EU are burying their heads in the sand and are thus co-responsible while East Jerusalem residents face repeated violations of international law and of simple standards of humanity, all at the hands of the Israeli state. If the EU sits on this report, we see it as our duty to make it as widely available as we can."
Nick Dearden, Senior Campaigns Officer at War on Want said: "The desperation of Palestinians across the West Bank now threatens those who live in East Jerusalem, as Israel inflames and intensifies its Occupation. By suppressing the truth, which their own diplomats have made clear to them, European governments have sent a clear message to Israel that its aggression will be met only with silence.”
ENDS
Pierre Galand, + 3222230756 eccp@skynet.be
Chairman, European Co-ordinating Committee of NGOs on the question of Palestine
Dan Judelson, + 44 (0) 779 339 2820
Secretary, European Jews for a Just Peace www.ejjp.org
Notes to Editors:
1) The suppressed report can be found on War on Want’s websitewww.waronwant.organd on the website of The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions www.icahd.org.
2) For media information call War on Want campaigns officer Nick Dearden on 07932 335464.
3) This move is also supported by:
Alternative Information Centre, Bethlehem & Jerusalem www.alternativenews.org
Arab Media Watch, UK www.arabmediawatch.blogspot.com
Association Belgo-Palestinienne
www.association-belgo-palestinienne
AIPPP Strasbourg www.protection-palestine.org
BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights, Bethlehem www.badil.org
Civimed Initiatives, Strasbourg www.protection-palestine.org
Collectif judéo-arabe et citoyen pour la paix, Strasbourg www.protection-palestine.org
Committee for a Just Peace in the Middle East, Luxembourg www.cercle.lu
Coordination de l'Appel de Strasbourg
www.protection-palestine.org
Een Ander Joods Geluid, Netherlands www.eajg.nl
Farrah France www.protection-palestine.org
Friends of Sabeel-UK www.sabeel.org/old/friends.html
Humanistic Peace Council, Netherlands agpolak@freeler.nl
ISM London www.ism-london.org.uk
Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions,Israel www.icahd.org
Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions-UK www.icahduk.org
Jews for Israeli Palestinian Peace, Sweden www.jipf.nu
Jews for Justice for Palestinians, UK www.jfjfp.org
Judische Stimme für gerechten Frieden in Nahost, Berlin www.juedische-stimme.de
Just Peace UK groups.yahoo.com/group/justpeaceuk
Netherlands Palestine Committee www.xs4all.nl/~npk
Network of Jews against theOccupation, Italy paceinmedioriente.iobloggo.com
NUS Black Students’ Campaign, UK
www.nusonline.co.uk/campaigns/blackstudentscampaign
Palestine Forum in Britain www.pfb.org.uk
Palestine Solidarity Campaign, UK www.palestinecampaign.org
Society for Austrian Arab Relations, Austria www.saar.at
Stop the Occupation, Netherlands. www.stopdebezetting.nl
Union Juive Francaise pour la Paix www.ujfp.org
Union des Progresssite Juifs de Belgiques www.upjb.be
War on Want, UK www.waronwant.org
Women in Black, The Netherlands www.vrouweninhetzwart.nl