138 European Parliamentarians from 12 European Union countries (from national parliaments and the European Parliament) have written to the European Union's High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borell. It addresses the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, notably on two Israeli decisions which both constitute grave breaches of international law; the E1 settlement plan and the planned and continued forced dispossessions and demolitions of some of the most vulnerable Palestinian communities in Masafer Yatta in the South Hebron Hills.
The letter was co-ordinated by the European Parliamentarians for Israeli-Palestinian Equality (EPIPE) network, which Caabu acts as the Secretariat for. A response from Josep Borell to the 138 European Parliamentarians was received on 1 August 2022, which can be found at the bottom of the page. We are concerned that there is no clear explicit reference to the illegality of the settlements including E1.
12 July 2022
We are writing to you regarding the extremely serious situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory with respect to two recent Israeli decisions both of which constitute grave breaches of international law. They will have a huge impact on the human rights of vulnerable Palestinian communities as well as threaten any remaining chances of the EU’s preferred two-state solution.
The Israeli authorities are moving ahead with the E1 doomsday settlement plan. The West Bank Planning Committee will probably approve E1 on 12 September. If approved, we will be two pen strokes away from full statutory validity. The E-1 plan can be signed into law in a matter of minutes, at any time and with no advanced warning.
The EU and the US have consistently and successfully opposed this, deeming such a move to be a “red line.” Owing to its size and location, E1 would split the West Bank, separate East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank and make a viable sovereign independent Palestinian state impossible. It would also see the forced dispossession of thousands from Palestinian herding communities.
Forcible dispossession is also happening following the Supreme Court decision of 4 May on Masafer Yatta in the South Hebron hills. These communities have lived under threat of demolition since the 1980s and 700 were actually expelled for a period in 1999. As with E1, this is a grave breach of international law which could see over 1,100 Palestinians, including 569 children, forcibly dispossessed. Israel has already started demolitions.
Such actions underpin Israel’s ongoing annexation of Palestinian territory and will further entrench a one-state reality of unequal rights and perpetual occupation. This has led human rights organisations to describe this as apartheid.
We urge the EU at all levels to oppose all processes of the forcible dispossession of Palestinians including these two measures and the intensified settlement activity in East Jerusalem at Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan in the strongest possible terms. Failure to do so will imperil future chances for peace and further undermine the international rules-based system. Only an urgent, robust response from the EU and its partners will have any chance of preventing these steps, which the Israeli Government need not and must not take. The message now to Israel’s incoming Prime Minister must be clear: do not take forward illegal and unacceptable plans in E1 and Masafer Yatta.
Hussein al-Taee MP, Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue (SDP), Finland
Pedro Anastácio MP, Partido Socialista (PS), Portugal
Chris Andrews TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Margrete Auken MEP, Socialistisk Folkeparti (SF) in the Greens/EFA, European Parliament, Denmark
Ivana Bacik TD, Leader of the Labour Party, Ireland
Pernando Barrena MEP, Eh Bildu in the Left – GUE/NGL, European Parliament, Spain
Malik Ben Achour MP, Parti Socialiste (PS), Belgium
Silvia Benedetti MP, Misto - ManifestA Potere al Popolo Rifondazione Comunista Sinistra Europea, Italy
Senator Frances Black, Independent, Ireland
Laura Boldrini MP, Former President of the Chamber of Deputies, Partito Democratico (PD), Italy
Chanelle Bonaventure MP, Parti Socialiste (PS), Belgium
Marc Botenga MEP, Parti du Travail de Belgique (PVDA-PTB), in the Left – GUE/NGL, European Parliament, Belgium
Richard Boyd Barrett TD, People Before Profit – Solidarity, Ireland
Senator Lynn Boylan, Sinn Féin, Ireland
John Brady TD, Sinn Féin spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Defence, Ireland
Saskia Bricmont MEP, Ecolo-Groen in the Greens/EFA, European Parliament, Belgium
Martin Browne TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Pat Buckley TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Holly Cairns TD, Social Democrats, Ireland
Matt Carthy TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Sara Cerdas MEP, Partido Socialista (PS) in Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), European Parliament, Portugal
Sorca Clarke TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Joan Collins TD, Independents For Change, Ireland
Rose Conway-Walsh TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Patrick Costello TD, Green Party, Ireland
Réada Cronin TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Seán Crowe TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
David Cullinane TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Clare Daly MEP, Independents for Change in the Left – GUE/NGL, European Parliament, Ireland
Pa Daly TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Rosa D’Amato MEP, Independent in the Greens/EFA, European Parliament, Italy
Guillaume Defossé MP, Ecolo-Groen, Belgium
Jean-Marc Delizée MP, Parti Socialiste (PS), Belgium
Özlem Demirel MEP, Die Linke in the Left – GUE/NGL, European Parliament, Germany
Steven De Vuyst MP, Partij van de Arbeid van België (PVDA-PTB), Belgium
Pearse Doherty TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Paul Donnelly TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Miguel dos Santos Rodrigues MP, Partido Socialista (PS), Portugal
Yana Ehm MP, Misto - ManifestA Potere al Popolo Rifondazione Comunista Sinistra Europea, Italy
Senator Gorka Elejabarrieta, Eh Bildu, Spain
Dessie Ellis TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Eleonara Evi MEP, Europa Verde in the Greens/EFA, European Parliament, Italy
Mairéad Farrell TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Tarja Filatov MP, Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue (SDP), Finland
André Flahaut MP, Parti Socialiste (PS), Belgium
Luke Ming Flanagan MEP, Independent in the Left – GUE/NGL, European Parliament, Ireland
Kathleen Funchion TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Gary Gannon TD, Social Democrats, Ireland
Senator Paul Gavan, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Thomas Gould TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Johnny Guirke TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Mélissa Hanus MP, Parti Socialiste (PS), Belgium
Marian Harkin TD, Independent, Ireland
Satu Hassi MP, Vihreät-De Gröna (VIHR), Finland
Seán Haughey TD, Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Ireland
Emer Higgins TD, Fine Gael, Ireland
Senator Annie Hoey, Labour Party, Ireland
Veronika Honkasalo MP, Vasemmistoliitto, Finland
Inka Hopsu MP, Vihreät-De Gröna (VIHR), Finland
Evin Incir MEP, Sveriges Socialdemokratiska Arbetareparti (S/SAP) in Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), European Parliament, Sweden
Hubert Julien-Laferrière, La République En Marche! (LREM), France
Gino Kenny TD, People Before Profit – Solidarity, Ireland
Martin Kenny TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Claire Kerrane TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Kimmo Kiljunen MP, Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue (SDP), Finland
Kateřina Konečná MEP, Komunistická strana Čech a Moravy (KSČM) in the Left – GUE/NGL, European Parliament, Czechia
Stelios Kouloglou MEP, Syriza in the Left – GUE/NGL, European Parliament, Greece
Christophe Lacroix MP, Parti Socialiste (PS), Belgium
Leslie Leoni MP, Parti Socialiste (PS), Belgium
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Chris MacManus MEP, Sinn Féin in the Left – GUE/NGL, European Parliament, Ireland
Mary Lou McDonald TD, Leader of Sinn Féin, Ireland
Senator Michael McDowell, Independent, Ireland
Margarida Marques MEP, Partido Socialista (PS) in Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), European Parliament, Portugal
Miguel Costa Matos MP, Partido Socialista (PS), Portugal
Karen Melchior MEP, Radikale Venstre in Renew Europe, European Parliament, Denmark
Denise Mitchell TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Simon Moutquin MP, Ecolo-Groen, Belgium
Senator Rebecca Moynihan, Labour Party, Ireland
Imelda Munster TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Catherine Murphy TD, Joint-Leader of the Social Democrats, Ireland
Paul Murphy TD, People Before Profit – Solidarity, Ireland
Johnny Mythen TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Ville Niinistö MEP, Vihreät-De Gröna (VIHR) in the Greens/EFA, European Parliament, Finland
Senator David Norris, Father of the House, Seanad, Independent, Ireland
Senator Paola Nugnes, Misto - ManifestA Potere al Popolo Rifondazione Comunista Sinistra Europea, Italy
Joe O'Brien TD, Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development, Green Party, Ireland
Eoin Ó Broin TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Cian O'Callaghan TD, Social Democrats, Ireland
Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Ruairí Ó Murchú TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Senator Joe O’Reilly, Fine Gael, Ireland
Louise O'Reilly TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Darren O'Rourke TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Grace O’Sullivan MEP, Green Party in the Greens/EFA, European Parliament, Ireland
Sandra Pereira MEP, Partido Comunista Português (PCP), in the Left – GUE/NGL, European Parliament, Portugal
Kira Marie Peter Hansen MEP, Socialistisk Folkeparti (SF) in the Greens/EFA, European Parliament, Denmark
João Pimenta Lopes MEP, Partido Comunista Português (PCP), in the Left – GUE/NGL, European Parliament, Portugal
Manu Pineda MEP, Izquierda Unida, in the Left – GUE/NGL, European Parliament, Spain
Paulo Pisco MP, Partido Socialista (PS), Portugal
Maurice Quinlivan TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Sira Rego MEP, Izquierda Unida, in the Left – GUE/NGL, European Parliament, Spain
Vicky Reynaert MP, Vooruit, Belgium
Diana Riba I Giner MEP, Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya in the Greens/EFA, European Parliament, Spain
María Eugenia Rodríguez Palop MEP, Podemos in the Left – GUE/NGL, European Parliament, Spain
María Soraya Rodríguez Ramos MEP, Ciudadanos – Partido de la Ciudadanía, in Renew Europe, European Parliament, Spain
Patricia Ryan TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Joana Sá Pereira MP, Partido Socialista (PS), Portugal
Jussi Saramo MP, Vasemmistoliitto, Finland
Doriana Sarli MP, Misto - ManifestA Potere al Popolo Rifondazione Comunista Sinistra Europea, Italy
Mounir Satouri MEP, Europe Écologie Les Verts in the Greens/EFA, European Parliament, France
Daniel Senesael MP, Parti Socialiste (PS), Belgium
Senator Marie Sherlock, Labour Party, Ireland
Róisín Shortall TD, Joint-Leader of the Social Democrats, Ireland
Brid Smith TD, People Before Profit – Solidarity, Ireland
Jordi Solé MEP, Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya in the Greens/EFA, European Parliament, Spain
Carla Sousa MP, Partido Socialista (PS), Portugal
Brian Stanley TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Simona Suriano MP, Misto - ManifestA Potere al Popolo Rifondazione Comunista Sinistra Europea, Italy
Sophie Thémont MP, Parti Socialiste (PS), Belgium
Eric Thiébaut MP, Parti Socialiste (PS), Belgium
Peadar Tóibín TD, Aontú, Ireland
Pauline Tully TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Erkki Tuomioja MP, former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue (SDP), Finland
Ernest Urtasun MEP, Catalunya en Comú, in the Greens/EFA, European Parliament, Spain
Tom van der Lee MP, foreign affairs spokesperson, GroenLinks, The Netherlands
Hilde Vautmans MEP, Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten (Open VLD) in Renew Europe, European Parliament, Belgium
Idoia Villanueva Ruiz MEP, Podemos in the Left – GUE/NGL, European Parliament, Spain
Senator Mark Wall, Labour Party, Ireland
Mick Wallace MEP, Independents for Change in the Left – GUE/NGL, European Parliament, Ireland
Senator Barry Ward, Fine Gael, Ireland
Mark Ward TD, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Senator Fintan Warfield, Sinn Féin, Ireland
Jennifer Whitmore TD, Social Democrats, Ireland
Salima Yenbou MEP, Europe Écologie Les Verts in Renew Europe, European Parliament, France
Laurence Zanchetta MP, Parti Socialiste (PS), Belgium
On 1 August 2022, Josep Borell responded to the letter from 138 European Parliamentarians on E1 and Masafer Yatta.We are concerned that there is no clear explicit reference to the illegality of the settlements including E1.
