Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-10-09-Speech-4-019"
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"en.20031009.1.4-019"2
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"Mr President, we are still seeing positions being taken on the conflict in the Middle East which either favour Israel against Palestine or censure the Israelis to the benefit of the Palestinians. There are probably arguments in favour of both sides. The inalienable right of innocent Israeli communities to defend themselves and the natural desire of Palestinians freely to determine their own future are, of course, among those arguments. What is beyond all doubt is that there is no argument to justify the terrorist tactics embraced by both peoples in the region. Our group believes that any remaining hope of peace between Israelis and Palestinians still lies in the road map. This initiative, which involves not only the belligerents but also the United States, Russia, the United Nations and the European Union, must be improved, but cannot be abandoned. Its objectives remain valid, aiming as they do to resolve the conflict by 2005, putting an end to the violence and terrorism and allowing a future Palestinian state to exist peacefully alongside Israel. That coexistence requires effective democracy based on tolerance and freedom; we must recognise that such democracy is not yet in place.
It is absolutely crucial to begin moving forward again following the logic of give-and-take, expecting each party to honour its commitments at every stage. We cannot accept matters as they stand at present. There have been few, precious few positive steps, and those that have been taken have been answered with violence. If the conditions for producing solid ties of mutual trust cannot be created, we will not only witness the deaths of more innocent civilians but also, some day soon, the day when hope itself dies.
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therefore, is unacceptable. In consequence, the European Union must, in partnership with other interested parties, increase the pressure to make the resumption of the peace process possible and enduring. Unlike some of the honourable Members who have spoken here, our group doubts very much indeed that the solution is to send a military force made up of armed units from a coalition of countries to intervene in the area. Of course, we do not accept the construction of a wall separating the two countries. What seems unacceptable is attempting to replace that wall with a human barricade, even if it is well armed, organised and authorised by the international community. Besides, this would be a traditional military response which would not resolve the current situation, typical of urban guerrilla warfare. We feel that the full force of European diplomatic pressure should be thrown behind the drive to make it clear to the Palestinian authorities that the despicable suicide attacks against the Israeli civilian population must cease forthwith and for good. On the other hand, it is also crucial to ensure that the response of the democratic Israeli Government is restrained, and also to warn neighbouring countries in the region to refrain from harbouring terrorist groups in whose bases criminal activities are sustained and undertaken.
As we have reiterated on many occasions, there is no such thing as good terrorism, just as there is no such thing as bad terrorism. Furthermore, no type of terrorism is ever justified. Or justifiable. We cannot tolerate any argument for resorting to it, otherwise we recognise its ends as legitimate. Wherever terrorism lurks, wherever it rears its head, whatever form it takes, the European Union must not shrink from fighting it. That is because we are fully convinced that the resolution of the conflict in the Middle East would deprive international terrorism of a powerful ideological prop."@en1
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