Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2011-09-14-Speech-3-438-000"
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"en.20110914.29.3-438-000"2
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"Mr President, in eight days’ time, President Abbas will ask the United Nations to recognise the Palestinian state. This marks an historic moment that leaves us Europeans with our back to the wall – which is more than just a figure of speech in the case of Palestine.
In honouring the commitment made to recognise the State of Israel in 1948, Europe has consistently supported a two-State solution based on the 1967 border, with Jerusalem as the capital of both States. It has not just said this, as in the Council Conclusions of December 2009. It has helped to build Palestinian institutions, not least by financing the Fayyad plan which, after two years, has succeeded in creating credible Palestinian institutions.
The time has therefore come to take the next step, the diplomatic step of supporting Palestine’s request in the UN. The Palestinians deserve this support, the Palestinians have a right to this support, the Palestinians believe in this support.
Some will say that the United States is not in favour. Can Europe do nothing more than meekly echo the United States? Since his famous speech in Cairo, President Obama has been back-pedalling and has been bogged down by the prospect of a second term. Forget the United States.
Some will say that nothing will change on the ground. They are right. It is true that we need to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible. Bolstered by their rights and the recognition of their State, the Palestinians must come back to the negotiating table, but they must do so on a far more equal footing, with new rights and new responsibilities.
Others will say, and indeed have said, that there is a danger that we will become divided. Whose fault is that? It is our fault, the fault of the European Parliament, because we are the voice of the people, not of the governments. An article in
indicated that most people are in favour of a Palestinian state. We have a duty to help our governments to speak with one voice, to take a bold political stance, but also an ethical stance, because this problem aside, Europe’s entire credibility with regard to the Arab Spring is at stake. We support Libya, we support Tunisia, we support Egypt and we deplore the suffering in Syria. Yet the UN represents the Palestinians’ Arab Spring: it is a peaceful solution, it is the way of negotiation and the diplomatic route that is being pursued in the UN. We need to support that, otherwise the Middle East will find itself plunging back into violence in the days ahead.
We have an historic duty today, a duty to establish peace in the Middle East. This is an opportunity, and it must be seized on. That is my group’s message to you today."@en1
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