Irish MEP Jim Higgins demands EU invoke human rights clauses in Israeli-EU agreement

ccun.org, April 22, 2008

 

IN a statement read out at Saturday’s IPSC demonstration to commemorate the Nakba and show solidarity with the people of Gaza, Fine Gael MEP Jim Higgins demanded that the European Union invoke the human rights clauses included in the Euro-Med agreements. He said that this must be done in an effort to curb human rights abuses carried out by Israel in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to improve the situation of the Palestinian people. 

"The Euro-Med agreements apply to 9 North African and Middle Eastern States, including Israel and the Palestinian Authority. One common theme that all the agreements have is a respect for human rights and democracy. The European Commission have indicated from questions that I submitted that;" 

'In the event of substantial violations of human rights, the agreements enable one party to the Agreement to take appropriate measures against the other party in proportion to the gravity of breaches.' 

"Based upon this response I immediately asked the European Commission to take proportionate action in response to the substantial and ongoing human rights abuses perpetrated by the Israeli Government against the Palestinian People."  

"Their response also shows that they have not even created a subcommittee to examine human rights abuses as they have done in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia. I have now demanded a subcommittee be established immediately to begin monitoring and reporting on human rights abuses directly to the European Union institutions. If the European Union is serious about the human rights clauses in these agreements it most invoke them, and it must invoke them now." 

"I am confident with the support of my Irish MEP colleagues we will continue at European Level to put pressure on the European Union to act, and act effectively to end the ongoing human rights abuses in Palestine perpetrated by the Israeli forces. It is time the European Union stopped talking about human rights and started protecting human rights."

IPSC demonstration ‘Remember Dair Yassin. Remember the people of Gaza today’
 
On last Saturday, at an Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign demonstration in Dublin, the chair of IPSC, Marie Crawley asked the crowd of five hundred people to remember the Dair Yassin massacre of 1948, and to remember the people of Gaza who are being ‘collectively punished’ today.
 
She called upon the Irish government and the EU to act, stating ‘It is past time the EU activated the human rights clause in the Euro Med agreement. There is no logical reason why the Euro-Med agreement which gives Israel privileged trade status shouldn’t be suspended. MEPs and human rights activists in Ireland and across Europe have called for its suspension.’ Recalling the massacre of Dair Yassin 60 years ago she stated, ‘We can't stop yesterday's atrocities; we must prevent today's.’
 
The demonstration commemorated the Nakba – the ethnic cleansing of Palestine which led to the establishment of the exclusivist state of Israel. It linked the most infamous massacre of 1948 – Dair Yassin where around 120 people were killed, with the ‘collective punishment’ endured by the people of Gaza today. Last month alone, over 120 people were killed in Gaza.
 
Although it was pouring rain, the march was attended by five hundred people. Speaking at the demonstration were Senator David Norris, Michael D Higgins T.D., Mary Lou McDonald MEP, Eamonn McCann, Mags O'Brien (Trade Union Friends of Palestine) and Dr. Bassam Nassar (Palestinian Community in Ireland)
 
A statement was read out from Jim Higgins, Fine Gael MEP where he demanded that the European Union invoke the human rights clauses included in the Euro-Med agreements. He said that this must be done in an effort to curb human rights abuses carried out by Israel.
 
‘Wake up Ireland!’
Afterwards there was a press conference and public meeting of about 100 people. Speaking there were Treasa Ni Cheannabhain, the IPSC activist recently returned from imprisonment in Gaza. In addition there was a link with Palestinian journalists in Gaza Samah Habeeb, Sami Abusalim who described the appalling conditions people faced in Gaza. They explained about the food shortages and the lack of medical supplies in Gaza.
 
Sami Abusalim told the audience ‘People need to be aware of the situation and shake off their apathy. Wake up Ireland! Whatever about other European countries, Irish people have experienced oppression, and understand its nature. The people of Gaza are suffering and we are asking you - what you doing about it?’
 
For further information contact: Philip O'Connor  

(IPSC Press Officer) – 087 276 8718
Marie Crawley (IPSC Chair) – 087 2286546.