Hundreds of European MPs Sign Letter Against ‘Israeli Apartheid’, Call for Justice for Palestinians

Hundreds of European MPs from 21 countries submitted a letter urging action to protect Palestinians from Israeli dispossession, siege and apartheid practices.

In-depth Report:

All Global Research articles can be read in 51 languages by activating the “Translate Website” drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version).

To receive Global Research’s Daily Newsletter (selected articles), click here.

Visit and follow us on Instagram at @crg_globalresearch.

***

Hundreds of European parliamentarians co-signed a letter on Tuesday urging the European Union (EU) to take action against Israel’s forced dispossession of Palestinians, referencing apartheid and the ongoing siege on the Gaza Strip.

A total of 370 European lawmakers from 21 countries submitted the letter to European foreign ministers and the EU’s High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borell.

The letter referenced a Human Rights Watch report which slammed Israeli violations against Palestinians as being so severe that they meet the legal definition of the crime of apartheid according to the Rome Statute.

Among the signatories were the UK’s former Opposition Leader Jeremy Corbyn, Labour MP Diane Abbott and Conservative peer Baroness Sayeeda Warsi.

The MPs said that they are “deeply concerned” about the escalations taking place against Palestinians and that they are “alarmed” at the violence that took place in the besieged Gaza Strip over the summer.

In May, Israel launched an 11-day bombardment operation that killed 250 people, including 66 children, and destroyed some 2,200 homes and damaged 37,000 others.

“We are alarmed by the latest escalation in Gaza, the civilian casualties on both sides and the devastating humanitarian consequences for the already hard-hit population in Gaza. We call upon both sides to protect all civilians and to keep them out of harm’s way, as well as to provide unhindered humanitarian access as mandated by international humanitarian law”, the letter said.

The MPs asserted that Israel’s last offensive in Gaza “makes clear that the status quo is untenable and that it is both urgent and imperative that we address the root causes of this flare-up.”

They also deplored the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

“The widespread displacement and forcible transfer of Palestinians taking place across the West Bank, including imminently in the East Jerusalem neighbourhoods of Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan, are part of that reality”, the MPs said in their letter.

“Europe must work together with like-minded allies to challenge this status quo and to take robust steps to pave the way for a safer, just and democratic future for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”

“Violations of international law, like the ones we witnessed unfolding, must come with robust consequences, in Israel-Palestine, as elsewhere. It is crucial that the EU and European governments support relevant international accountability efforts,” they added.

*

Note to readers: Please click the share buttons above or below. Follow us on Instagram, @crg_globalresearch. Forward this article to your email lists. Crosspost on your blog site, internet forums. etc.

Featured image is from Maan News Agency


Articles by: The New Arab

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are of sole responsibility of the author(s). The Centre for Research on Globalization will not be responsible for any inaccurate or incorrect statement in this article. The Centre of Research on Globalization grants permission to cross-post Global Research articles on community internet sites as long the source and copyright are acknowledged together with a hyperlink to the original Global Research article. For publication of Global Research articles in print or other forms including commercial internet sites, contact: [email protected]

www.globalresearch.ca contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available to our readers under the provisions of "fair use" in an effort to advance a better understanding of political, economic and social issues. The material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving it for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material for purposes other than "fair use" you must request permission from the copyright owner.

For media inquiries: [email protected]