Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-01-19-Speech-4-013"
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"en.20060119.3.4-013"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, recent developments in the area of the Middle East are putting even more pressure on an area already burdened with wars and much more besides.
Elections to the new Palestinian Legislative Council will constitute the prospects and, once again, the proof that the Palestinians can operate democratically. We, as the European Parliament and as the European Union, have already done a great deal, as the Commissioner said, but we need to continue to monitor developments in the area very carefully and, at the same time, to exert pressure in all directions for substantive talks which will lead before the end of 2006 to important progress and, very soon I hope, to a final solution to the problem.
The crisis in relations between Iran and the West, the continuing political instability in Iraq, the crisis in relations between Lebanon and Syria, which needs very careful handling and, of course, the situation in the area of Israel and Palestine are intensifying our concern and creating a rather disappointing climate.
The crisis over recent days in relations between Iran and the West has taken its ugliest turn. The possibility of military intervention against Iran would be disastrous and must be prevented, because another war in the area would create a chain reaction for security and peace, and not only for the area of the Middle East.
The situation in occupied Iraq is still permanently destabilising. The recent disclosure by the former US Secretary of State Colin Powell, that the USA had made a mistake in its assessment and that Saddam did not have nuclear weapons, shows the real reasons for the military presence of the USA in the area. The conclusions are, I think, obvious.
The parliamentary elections due to take place in Palestine on 25 January, with which I shall be involved, will be carried out under the shadow of the pre-election period in Israel itself, where elections are to be held two months later, and will place Israel in a new, post-Sharon, era.
Nonetheless, the Palestinian Authority is working ceaselessly so that free and democratic elections can be held and the democratic opinion of the Palestinian people can be demonstrated once again.
The Legislative Council and almost all the political parties in Palestine want Hamas to take part in the elections, so that it too can shoulder some of the responsibility for legislative work. This is expected to result in milder policies and, ultimately, disarmament.
As for the election process in East Jerusalem, it would appear that the matter has been arranged in the same way as agreed by the Palestinians in 1996. This too really is something to Israel's credit. Nonetheless, I have my doubts as to the extent to which the Israelis will consent to a democratic and fair pre-election strategy being held in East Jerusalem as well, given that, generally speaking, it is hard for elections to be held under occupation.
I shall mention just one incident which took place just yesterday: the Palestinian People's Party candidate for Jerusalem, Fadwa Khader, was arrested during a pre-election meeting by the Israeli occupying army and is now in jail for no reason."@en1
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