HC Deb 01 March 2001 vol 363 cc736-7W
Dr. Starkey

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates representations were made by the European Union to the Government of Israel in the context of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, on human rights related issues since the start of the Al Aqsa intifada; and what responses have been received. [151136]

Mr. Wilson

The European Union delivered demarches to the Government of Israel on Israeli obstacles to humanitarian assistance (5 February) and on the Israeli policy of targeted physical eliminations (21 January). The EU made a further statement on 13 February which deplored the practice of eliminations or extra judicial killings of Palestinians by the Israeli security forces. The General Affairs Council has repeatedly called for closures to be lifted, most recently on 26 February. Within the framework of the EU-Israel dialogue on the Palestinian economy, the EU has also urged Israel to lift the closures and resume the payment of revenues withheld from the Palestinian Authority.