June 3 and 4, 2007
EJJP calls for a bold European initiative for a just peace in the Middle East
Executive summary of the Resolution adopted by the 5th Annual Convention of
European Jews for a Just Peace, Berlin, 1 – 3 June 2007
We are meeting in Berlin on the eve of the 40th anniversary of Israel’s military
occupation of the Palestinian Territories, to demonstrate our concern at the
indifference of the European Union and the G8 nations –meeting in
Heiligendamm under the German Presidency – towards Israeli violations of
international law and the plight of the Palestinians.
We hold successive Israeli governments responsible for contravening
international law and the Fourth Geneva Convention on a daily basis.
We hold the international community responsible for its failure to implement
any effective sanctions against these Israeli breaches of international law. We
further hold it responsible for condoning the Israeli refusal to accept the
decisions of the International Court of Justice with respect to the illegality of
the route of the Wall.
We condemn the policy of double standards applied by the United States and
by the European Union to Israel on one hand and to the Palestinian Authority
(PA) on the other – with regard to funding, use of violence and freedom of
movement – and of riding roughshod over the democratic institutions of the
Palestinian Authority.
We believe this policy of double standards is putting Jews in Israel and indeed
all over the world at great risk.
The Israeli/Palestinian conflict is the central one in the region. Israeli policies
over the last sixty years bear a major responsibility for fanning the flames of
political, ethnic, and religious extremism. It affects all of us.
We call on the European Council to
• end its collective punishment of the Palestinian people since January
2006 by recognizing and backing the Palestinian unity government;
• demand of Israel that it transfer Palestinian tax and customs revenues it
is withholding to the PA;
• compel Israel to free imprisoned Palestinian ministers and MPs
immediately – as well as all other political prisoners;
• urge a positive response from Israel to the recently reaffirmed Saudi
Peace initiative of the Arab League. to apply sanctions to bring about an
end to the Israeli occupation.
/ends
European Jews for a Just Peace is a federation of Jewish Peace groups working and campaigning in 10 European countries.