Activities of Jordi SOLÉ related to 2021/2207(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Relations with the Palestinian Authority (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on a European Parliament recommendation to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on relations with the Palestinian Authority
Amendments (48)
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 3 a (new)
Citation 3 a (new)
— having regard to the new Israeli Government´s Coalition Framework Agreement and Government Guidelines;
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 15 a (new)
Citation 15 a (new)
— having regard to the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002,
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 15 b (new)
Citation 15 b (new)
— having regard to the EU Guidelines on International Humanitarian Law and those on Human Rights Defenders,
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18 a (new)
Citation 18 a (new)
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the Palestinian leadership has recognized the state of Israel and the establishment of a state of Palestine in the pre-1967 border , which has not been reciprocated by the successive Israeli governments; whereas the Palestinian leadership has repeatedly called for renewed peace talks leading to a two-state solution, which has not been reciprocated by the Israeli Government;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory has been ongoing for 55 years; whereas the number of settlersunder international law permanent occupation is unlawful; whereas the number of settlers and the construction of related infrastructure in the West Bank and East Jerusalem has dramatically increased since the signing of the Oslo Accords inand contravention of international law and the objective of peace; stitute a flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-state solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace ; whereas this has profoundly changed the social and demographic landscape of the West Bank and led to the fragmentation of Palestinian areas; whereas Israel treats the settlements as a permanent and integral part of its territory, which is tantamount to de facto annexation; whereas this has severely undermined the possibility to establish a Palestinian state as part of a two-state solution and instead entrenched a one-state reality of unequal rights, perpetual occupation, and conflict; whereas major Israeli, Palestinian and international human rights organisations as well as several United Nations Special Rapporteurs have recently issued reports concluding that the Israeli government systemically oppresses and institutionally discriminates against Palestinians across Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
C a. whereas demolitions and seizures in the West Bank as well as the displacement of Palestinians continue increasing; whereas the separation wall in the West Bank constructed by Israel is illegal; whereas 2022 has been the deadliest year for Palestinians in nearly two decades;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
C b. whereas the new Israeli government in its coalition framework agreement and government guidelines lays claim to the occupied Palestinian territories, notably the West Bank; whereas coalition chairman and Member of Knesset Yariv Levin announced a government strategy of de-facto annexation of the West Bank; whereas all members of this government support at least partial annexations of Palestinian territories; whereas the new Israeli government has announced to advance and develop settlements in the West Bank; whereas the Israeli Institute for National Security Studies concluded from the coalition agreements that Israel is in the process of an accelerated annexation;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas EU funding includes a multiannual contribution to UNRWA, whose essential humanitarian and development work Parliament continually supports and advocates to be continued;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
F a. whereas the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian population in the West Bank and Gaza depend on international assistance; whereas the international assistance is essential to the stability of Palestine, Israel and the region at large; whereas according to international law Israel as an occupying power is required to ensure the protection and welfare of the occupied population;
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F b (new)
Recital F b (new)
F b. whereas the Israeli Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) released on 20 October 2022 a new “Procedure for the Entry of Foreigners to the Areas of Judea and Samaria”, requiring third-country nationals, including EU-citizens, to request a permit to enter the West Bank as of October 2022; whereas the new COGAT rules restrict travel of foreign spouses to Palestinians, as well as of volunteers, academics or business people working in the West Bank, thus undermining relations between the EU and Palestine;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)
Recital H a (new)
H a. whereas the Palestinian Authority has adopted authoritarian practices, including a chilling campaign of repression cracking down on peaceful protests with unlawful force, targeting journalists, civil society activists, and lawyers with arbitrary arrests and torturing detainees; whereas according to Human Rights Watch Palestinian authorities are systematically mistreating and torturing Palestinians in detention, including critics and opponents; whereas Palestinian Authorities have failed to ensure accountability for the killing of Palestinian activist Nizar Banat;
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H b (new)
Recital H b (new)
H b. whereas in October 2022 Palestinian President Abbas issued a decree to form the Higher Council of Judicial Authorities and Bodies, subordinating all Palestinian authorities under his control and dismantling the last pillar of judicial independence in Palestine; whereas according to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights the decree violates the Palestinian Basic law and is a grave breach of Palestine’s obligations, particularly under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR);
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H c (new)
Recital H c (new)
H c. whereas the Palestinian Authority has consistently maintained security coordination with Israel; whereas the PA´s security coordination with Israel constitutes a contribution to the security of Israel; whereas large parts of the Palestinian public oppose the PA´s security coordination with Israel;
Amendment 125 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H d (new)
Recital H d (new)
H d. whereas the the European Union Police and Rule of Law Mission for the Palestinian Territory (EUPOL COPPS) was established in January 2006 to assists the Palestinian Authority in Palestinian state building; whereas studies show that the work of EUPOL COPPS promotes Palestinian policing practices that reproduce borders and spatial logics established by the occupation;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas socioeconomic and employment conditions in Palestine have severely deteriorated; whereas the Israeli occupation involvmposes significant restrictions on the Palestinian economy, whichdue to the the lack of control over land, water, physical boundaries, revenues and mobility which prevent the Palestinian society and economy from realising their potential; whereas UNCTAD estimates the economic cost for Palestinians of Israeli restrictions only on Area C of the West Bank at $50 billion between 2000 and 2020; whereas this inhibits Palestinian exports to the EU under the EU-PLO Interim Association Agreement; whereas this also undermines the effectiveness of EU aid and increases Palestinian dependence on foreign aid;
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)
Recital I a (new)
I a. whereas the Israeli government frequently uses its authority over tax collection of the PA for punitive purposes; whereas in response to the adoption of a UN resolution calling for the ICJ to give an opinion on the legality of Israeli policies in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, Israel's new far-right government seized $39m of tax revenues collected on behalf of the Palestinian Authority; whereas more than 90 countries in a statement expressed their "deep concern" about Israel´s punitive measures;
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I b (new)
Recital I b (new)
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I c (new)
Recital I c (new)
I c. whereas a study commissioned by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament (AFET) entitled: “Prospects for reinvigorating the Middle East Peace Process” concluded that the so-called Abraham Accords served attempts to further derail and marginalise the Palestinians;
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a
Paragraph 1 – point a
(a) reiterate the EU’s strong support for the two-state solution, as the only viable solution to the conflict, with the state of Israel and the state of Palestine living side by side, together in peace, security and mutual recognition under the 1967 borders with mutually agreed upon equivalent land swaps and Jerusalem as the capital of both states; reiterate the EU’s commitment to equal rights of all Israelis and Palestinians;
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b
Paragraph 1 – point b
(b) continue to underline that Israeli settlements in the oPt are illegal and constitute a major impediment to the viability and prospects of the two-state solution; call for an end to all actions that undermine the viability of the two-state solution on the ground; consider targeted EU measures against Israeli individuals leading the planning of settlement expansion in the West Bank or implementing annexation; prevent EU- based operators from doing business with and in illegal settlements or annexed territories; ensure that all EU policies and EU-funded programmes with Israel comply with international and EU law;
Amendment 177 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point c
Paragraph 1 – point c
(c) stress the importance of direct negotiations between Israel and Palestine based on internationally agreed parameters and remind both sides of the importance of the participation of women in all levels of the negotiations; set up a European peace initiative in order to restore a political horizon for fair, comprehensive, long-lasting peace between Israel and Palestine;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d
Paragraph 1 – point d
(d) support Palestinian calls for renewed and inclusive political representation; strongly urge the PLO, PA and President Abbas to hold free and fair nationlegislative and presidential elections in order to strengthen the legitimacy of the Palestinian political leadership; call on Israel to respect its obligations to allow these elections to take placeurge the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank and Hamas to provide for the necessary conditions to hold free and fair elections, including an independent judiciary and the respect for freedom of expression; call on Israel to respect its obligations to allow these elections to take place in East Jerusalem; provide all necessary political and technical assistance to facilitate this process, notably in East Jerusalem; promote the participation of youth and women;
Amendment 207 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point e
Paragraph 1 – point e
(e) strongly call for East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to be brought under one legitimate, democratic PA rule; facilitate political consensus and reconciliation among Palestinian political factionsnational dialogue reconciliation and consensus-building among all political and societal actors in Palestine; stress the importance of democratic elections and their results being respected by all parties involved, including by the EU;
Amendment 216 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point f
Paragraph 1 – point f
(f) encourage measures to include youth and women in all levels of societal decision-making regardless of their socio- economic background; call for concrete measures to be enacted to fight discrimination against women and LGBTQI+ persons as well as human rights defenders, activists, journalists and artists;
Amendment 220 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point g
Paragraph 1 – point g
(g) urge the PA to eliminate repressive restrictions on the funding and registration of non-governmental organisations and to respect the freedom of assembly and expression; urge the PA to respect the exercise of freedom of association, peaceful assembly and expression and the right to public participation, both offline and online and in conformity with international law and standards;
Amendment 230 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point h
Paragraph 1 – point h
(h) demand that the PA establish independent and reliable mechanisms to investigate occurrences of torture or ill- treatment in line with its obligation under the Optional Protocol of the Convention Against Torture which it acceded to in 2017; support an independent investigation into the death of Nizar Banat and call for those responsible to be held accountable; urge Palestinian authorities to hold security forces accountable for arbitrary arrest, abuse and torture;
Amendment 243 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point j
Paragraph 1 – point j
(j) call on the PA to guarantee respect for the principles of the rule of law, and establish the separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary by repealing the decree of October 2022 establishing the Supreme Council of Judicial Bodies and Authorities also in order to restore public confidence in institutions;
Amendment 255 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point l
Paragraph 1 – point l
(l) comply with the commitment to fully and effectively implement existing EU legislation and the bilateral arrangements applicable to settlement products; ensure that the principle of legal differentiation between the territory of the state of Israel and the territories occupied since 1967 is applied consistently to the full scope of EU bilateral relations with Israel, in accordance with existing CJEU rulings and UNSC Resolution 2334; demand the adoption of EU legislation banning trade with settlements in the oPt, in compliance with international humanitarian law;
Amendment 261 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point l a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point l a (new)
(l a) is concerned about the new restrictive policy on the entry and stay of foreigners in the West Bank adopted by Israel which impedes exchange between EU citizens and Palestinians; discuss with Israel its obligation to abide by the reciprocity requirements under its visa- free regime with the EU;
Amendment 264 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point m
Paragraph 1 – point m
(m) engage with the PA to jointly establish a more regular political dialogue at the ministerial level and toconvene an Association Council; launch, as soon as possible, negotiations on a full association agreement between the EU and Palestine; convene an association council when an agreement has been reacheddesignate the EU Office in Palestine to a fully-fledged EU Delegation;
Amendment 269 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point m a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point m a (new)
(m a) press for the reopening of Palestinian institutions in annexed East Jerusalem, as stipulated in the 2003 Roadmap; host regular meetings with Palestinian officials in East Jerusalem and support their engagement in the political, economic, social and cultural development of East Jerusalem; oppose efforts to impose Israeli curricula on Palestinian schools;
Amendment 274 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point n
Paragraph 1 – point n
(n) work towards an immediate end to the blockade of the Gaza Strip including the possibility for Palestinians to travel outside for work, study, medical reasons or to visit family relatives in the West Bank as well as the circulation of goods;
Amendment 294 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point p
Paragraph 1 – point p
(p) enhance funding, including humanitarian aid and development assistance, for the green transition, good governanceyouth participation, democratisation and anti- corruption efforts, including public financial management reform; ensure continuous funding for essential services for the Palestinian people including education and health; expand aid to Palestinian civil society, including to human rights defenders under attack;
Amendment 302 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point p a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point p a (new)
(p a) continue and expand EU funding and programmes in vulnerable areas around East Jerusalem and rural areas of the West Bank and actively defend the rights of Palestinians living in Area C;
Amendment 303 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point p b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point p b (new)
(p b) call on Israel to reduce physical and administrative restrictions on Palestinian economic activities and trade, and to cease favouring Israeli settler companies over Palestinians, as regards construction permits, licensing for operation, and access to natural resources in Area C;
Amendment 304 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point p c (new)
Paragraph 1 – point p c (new)
Amendment 305 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point p d (new)
Paragraph 1 – point p d (new)
(p d) protect and strengthen Palestinian civil space by increasing aid to Palestinian civil society organisations, including human rights defenders under attack; implement the EU Guidelines on human rights defenders, taking concrete action when HRDs and CSOs are under attack; privately and publicly condemn and take action against initiatives contributing to the shrinking space for civil society in Palestine; consistently consult Palestinian CSOs and HRDs in EU policy-making and positioning towards the situation in Israel and Palestine; urge Israeli authorities to reverse their unfounded designation of leading Palestinian civil society groups as “terrorist organisations” and allow them to continue their vital work;
Amendment 307 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point q
Paragraph 1 – point q
(q) provide Palestinian partners with long-term planning security and predictability by accompanying the 2021- 2024 joint strategy with a multiannual action plan; underlines that the European Commission must not suspend any funds to Palestinian civil society or the Palestinian Authority without tangible evidence of misuse;
Amendment 309 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point r
Paragraph 1 – point r
(r) express concern about how EU policy and effectiveness of financial assistance in Palestine are undermined by illegal settlements, the Israeli occupation and related restrictions on the Palestinian economy; demand compensation for the demolition of all EU-funded infrastructure in the oPt; bring policies towards Israel in line with the EUʼs goal to the achievement of an “independent, democratic and viable Palestinian State and the Two-State solution” and hold the Israeli government to account for explicit opposition to and policies that obstruct a viable Palestinian state;
Amendment 319 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point r a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point r a (new)
(r a) review the mandate of EU POL COPPS and focuses on ensuring the viability of the two-state-solution on the ground, guaranteeing the right for Palestinian self-determination;
Amendment 320 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point r b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point r b (new)
Amendment 321 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point s
Paragraph 1 – point s
(s) advocate the adjustmentoverhaul of the Paris Protocol on Economic Relations to provide the PA with more autonomy in economic and fiscal governance, for instance by allowing them to set their own VAT ratfiscal policy (e.g.VAT rates) and tax collection; urge Israeli authorities to refrain from non- transparent deductions of tax revenues to the Palestinian authorities for political purposes;
Amendment 325 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point t
Paragraph 1 – point t
(t) exclude the PA Ministry of Interior from EU financial assistance through PEGASE to the PA, while retaining the overall level of financial support, until authorities take effective steps to end arbitrary arrests and torture and to investigate and prosecute those responsible for abuses; consider redirecting funds dedicated to the PA Ministry of Interior to Palestinian civil society and human rights watchdogs until the ministry fulfils benchmarks;
Amendment 326 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point t a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point t a (new)
(t a) support the initiative by the Palestinian Authority, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, to request an advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legal consequences of Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories; defend the ICC and insist that the EU and Member States continues to support its work in investigating potential violations of the Rome Statute;
Amendment 328 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point t b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point t b (new)
(t b) take action to ensure unhindered access by MEPs and EP bodies to Palestine, in particular the Gaza strip;
Amendment 336 #
(u) ensure continued and additional financial support to Palestinian refugees through UNRWA to meet the increasing needs on the ground; earmark the additional funds for the agency incorporated in the joint text on the EU general budget for 2023 towards UNRWA’s core programme budget, which supports the delivery of core essential services;