Suspend EU-Israel Association Agreement
Note: English first, French follows.
We call on the EU to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement until Israel respects human rights and International Law.
The EU is Israel's biggest importer of goods, and its second biggest exporter. In 2006 the total traded between the EU and Israel amounted to 23.5 BILLION Euros.
The EU-Israel Association Agreement forms the legal basis for this relationship which gives Israel preferential trade terms with EU countries.
Article 2 of the Agreement states that these relations shall be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles which must guide internal and international policy.
The EU is therefore obligated under this Article to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement whilst Israel is in breach of human rights.
The Peace Cycle has travelled to the Occupied Palestinian Territories and witnessed first hand the many abuses of human rights by the Israeli Authorities, including:
** Loss of freedom of movement of the Palestinian people by the placement of checkpoints and earth mounds at strategic locations within the Occupied Territories, making travel between villages and towns often impossible and inhibiting the movement of trade across the territories.
** Israeli-only roads that prohibit use by Palestinian cars and passengers thereby making their journeys far longer than necessary, and often impossible.
** Demolition of Palestinian houses by the Israeli authorities resulting in the heartbreaking loss of family homes and possessions, and destroying their sense of security and belonging.
** Theft of Palestinian land in order to build the separation wall; a barrier deemed illegal by the International Court of Justice, and which has served to further limit freedom of movement and cause loss of trade, resulting in high unemployment and extreme poverty levels.
** Refugee camps where families have been waiting for sixty years to return to their lost homes or to have compensation addressed.
** The uprooting of millions of olive trees, a symbol of Palestinian life, to make way for continuous Israeli settlement building on stolen Palestinian lands, despite the settlements having been deemed illegal and even though cessation of this activity is clearly defined in the latest peace initiative at Annapolis.
** Countless more acts of Israeli aggression towards the Palestinian people, which continue daily, and remain unchallenged on the pretext of security.
What the Peace Cycle has witnessed illustrates the abuses of human rights that at different times over many years have been judged to be illegal by international courts across the world. Yet the EU does nothing visible to bring Israel to account. Whilst this abuse goes on, the EU-Israel Association Agreement has allowed trade with Israel to flourish, with the addition of the EU-Israel Action Plan in 2005-2008 that has allowed for even closer partnerships to develop.
We call for an immediate suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and any further trade between Israel and EU Member States in protest against Israel's continued violation of human rights of the Palestinian people.
This measure of protest should be maintained until Israel ends the illegal occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the siege of Gaza and fully complies with international human rights law.
THE PEACE CYCLE WILL PERSONALLY HAND THIS PETITION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, BRUSSELS, ON TUESDAY 31ST MARCH 2009
Nous demandons a l'UE de suspendre l'Accord d'Association UE - Israel jusqu'a ce qu Israel respecte des droits de l'homme et le droit international.
Israel est le plus grand importateur de marchandises e l'UE, et son deuxieme plus grand exportateur. En 2006 le total commercialise entre l'UE et Israel s'est eleve a 23.5 milliards d'euros. L'Accord d'Association UE - Israel forme la base juridique de cette relation donnant a Israel un cadre commercial preferentiel avec des pays de l'UE. L'article 2 de l'Accord mentionne que ces relations doivent etre basees sur le respect des droits de l'homme et des principes democratiques qui doivent guider la politique interne et internationale.
L'UE est donc obligee selon cet Article de suspendre l'accord d'association UE - Israel tant qu'Israel est en infraction vis a vis des droits de l'homme.
Les velos de la paix ont voyage dans territoires palestiniens occupes et ont ete temoin directs de nombreux abus des droits de l'homme par les autorites israeliennes, incluant :
** Perte de la liberte de circulation des Palestiniennes a cause de la mise en place de points de controle et de monticules de la terre aux endroits strategiques a l'interieur des territoires occupes, rendant le voyage entre les villages et les villes souvent impossibles et empechant le mouvement du commerce dans les territoires.
** Routes permises seulement aux Israeliens, interdites aux voitures palestiniennes et a leurs passagers rendant leur trajets bien plus long que necessaire, et souvent impossible.
** Demolition des maisons palestiniennes par les autorites israeliennes ayant pour resultat la perte dechirante de maisons familiales et de possessions, detruisant leur sensation de securite et d'appartenance.
** Vol des terre palestiniennes afin de construire le mur de separation ; une barriere consideree illegale par la Cour internationale de Justice, et qui a servi a limiter encore davantage la libre circulation, causant la mort du commerce, resultant en un taux de chomage eleve et des seuils de pauvrete extremes.
** Camps de refugie ou des familles attendent depuis soixante ans pour retourner a leurs maisons perdues ou pour recevoir une compensation.
** Le deracinement de millions d'oliviers, symbole de la vie palestinienne, pour faire la place a la colonisation continue israelienne sur les terres palestiniennes volees, bien que les colonies soient considerees illagales et meme si l'arret de cette activite est clairement definie dans la derniere initiative de paix a Annapolis.
** Innombrables actes d'agression israelienne envers les palestiniens, qui continuent quotidiennement, et demeurent incontestes sous pretexte de securite.
Nous reclamons une suspension immediate de l'Accord d'Association UE - Israel et de tous autres commerces entre Israel et les Etats membres de d'UE en protestation contre les violations continues des droits de l'homme des palestiniens par Israel.
Cette mesure de protestation devra etre maintenue jusqu'a ce qu'Israel mette fin a l'occupation illagale des territoires palestiniens occupes et au siege de Gaza et respecte entierement le droit international de droits de l'homme.
Note: English first, French follows.
We call on the EU to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement until Israel respects human rights and International Law.
The EU is Israel's biggest importer of goods, and its second biggest exporter. In 2006 the total traded between the EU and Israel amounted to 23.5 BILLION Euros.
The EU-Israel Association Agreement forms the legal basis for this relationship which gives Israel preferential trade terms with EU countries.
Article 2 of the Agreement states that these relations shall be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles which must guide internal and international policy.
The EU is therefore obligated under this Article to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement whilst Israel is in breach of human rights.
The Peace Cycle has travelled to the Occupied Palestinian Territories and witnessed first hand the many abuses of human rights by the Israeli Authorities, including:
** Loss of freedom of movement of the Palestinian people by the placement of checkpoints and earth mounds at strategic locations within the Occupied Territories, making travel between villages and towns often impossible and inhibiting the movement of trade across the territories.
** Israeli-only roads that prohibit use by Palestinian cars and passengers thereby making their journeys far longer than necessary, and often impossible.
** Demolition of Palestinian houses by the Israeli authorities resulting in the heartbreaking loss of family homes and possessions, and destroying their sense of security and belonging.
** Theft of Palestinian land in order to build the separation wall; a barrier deemed illegal by the International Court of Justice, and which has served to further limit freedom of movement and cause loss of trade, resulting in high unemployment and extreme poverty levels.
** Refugee camps where families have been waiting for sixty years to return to their lost homes or to have compensation addressed.
** The uprooting of millions of olive trees, a symbol of Palestinian life, to make way for continuous Israeli settlement building on stolen Palestinian lands, despite the settlements having been deemed illegal and even though cessation of this activity is clearly defined in the latest peace initiative at Annapolis.
** Countless more acts of Israeli aggression towards the Palestinian people, which continue daily, and remain unchallenged on the pretext of security.
What the Peace Cycle has witnessed illustrates the abuses of human rights that at different times over many years have been judged to be illegal by international courts across the world. Yet the EU does nothing visible to bring Israel to account. Whilst this abuse goes on, the EU-Israel Association Agreement has allowed trade with Israel to flourish, with the addition of the EU-Israel Action Plan in 2005-2008 that has allowed for even closer partnerships to develop.
We call for an immediate suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and any further trade between Israel and EU Member States in protest against Israel's continued violation of human rights of the Palestinian people.
This measure of protest should be maintained until Israel ends the illegal occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the siege of Gaza and fully complies with international human rights law.
THE PEACE CYCLE WILL PERSONALLY HAND THIS PETITION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, BRUSSELS, ON TUESDAY 31ST MARCH 2009
Nous demandons a l'UE de suspendre l'Accord d'Association UE - Israel jusqu'a ce qu Israel respecte des droits de l'homme et le droit international.
Israel est le plus grand importateur de marchandises e l'UE, et son deuxieme plus grand exportateur. En 2006 le total commercialise entre l'UE et Israel s'est eleve a 23.5 milliards d'euros. L'Accord d'Association UE - Israel forme la base juridique de cette relation donnant a Israel un cadre commercial preferentiel avec des pays de l'UE. L'article 2 de l'Accord mentionne que ces relations doivent etre basees sur le respect des droits de l'homme et des principes democratiques qui doivent guider la politique interne et internationale.
L'UE est donc obligee selon cet Article de suspendre l'accord d'association UE - Israel tant qu'Israel est en infraction vis a vis des droits de l'homme.
Les velos de la paix ont voyage dans territoires palestiniens occupes et ont ete temoin directs de nombreux abus des droits de l'homme par les autorites israeliennes, incluant :
** Perte de la liberte de circulation des Palestiniennes a cause de la mise en place de points de controle et de monticules de la terre aux endroits strategiques a l'interieur des territoires occupes, rendant le voyage entre les villages et les villes souvent impossibles et empechant le mouvement du commerce dans les territoires.
** Routes permises seulement aux Israeliens, interdites aux voitures palestiniennes et a leurs passagers rendant leur trajets bien plus long que necessaire, et souvent impossible.
** Demolition des maisons palestiniennes par les autorites israeliennes ayant pour resultat la perte dechirante de maisons familiales et de possessions, detruisant leur sensation de securite et d'appartenance.
** Vol des terre palestiniennes afin de construire le mur de separation ; une barriere consideree illegale par la Cour internationale de Justice, et qui a servi a limiter encore davantage la libre circulation, causant la mort du commerce, resultant en un taux de chomage eleve et des seuils de pauvrete extremes.
** Camps de refugie ou des familles attendent depuis soixante ans pour retourner a leurs maisons perdues ou pour recevoir une compensation.
** Le deracinement de millions d'oliviers, symbole de la vie palestinienne, pour faire la place a la colonisation continue israelienne sur les terres palestiniennes volees, bien que les colonies soient considerees illagales et meme si l'arret de cette activite est clairement definie dans la derniere initiative de paix a Annapolis.
** Innombrables actes d'agression israelienne envers les palestiniens, qui continuent quotidiennement, et demeurent incontestes sous pretexte de securite.
Nous reclamons une suspension immediate de l'Accord d'Association UE - Israel et de tous autres commerces entre Israel et les Etats membres de d'UE en protestation contre les violations continues des droits de l'homme des palestiniens par Israel.
Cette mesure de protestation devra etre maintenue jusqu'a ce qu'Israel mette fin a l'occupation illagale des territoires palestiniens occupes et au siege de Gaza et respecte entierement le droit international de droits de l'homme.
The EU-Israel Association Agreement forms the legal basis for trade between the EU and Israel.
Article 2 of the Agreement states that these relations shall be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles which must guide internal and international policy.
The EU is therefore obligated under this Article to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement whilst Israel is in breach of human rights.
We, the Peace Cycle, have travelled to the Occupied Palestinian Territories and witnessed first hand the many abuses of human rights by the Israeli Authorities, including:
%uFFFD Loss of freedom of movement of the Palestinian people by the placement of checkpoints and earth mounds at strategic locations within the Occupied Territories, making travel between villages and towns often impossible and inhibiting the movement of trade across the territories.
%uFFFD Israeli-only roads that prohibit use by Palestinian cars and passengers thereby making their journeys far longer than necessary, and often impossible.
%uFFFD Demolition of Palestinian houses by the Israeli authorities resulting in the heartbreaking loss of family homes and possessions, and destroying their sense of security and belonging.
%uFFFD Theft of Palestinian land in order to build the separation wall; a barrier deemed illegal by the International Court of Justice, and which has served to further limit freedom of movement and cause loss of trade, resulting in high unemployment and extreme poverty levels.
%uFFFD Refugee camps where families have been waiting for sixty years to return to their lost homes or to have compensation addressed.
%uFFFD The uprooting of millions of olive trees, a symbol of Palestinian life, to make way for continuous Israeli settlement building on stolen Palestinian lands, despite the settlements having been deemed illegal and even though cessation of this activity is clearly defined in the latest peace initiative at Annapolis.
%uFFFD Countless more acts of Israeli aggression towards the Palestinian people, which continue daily, and remain unchallenged on the pretext of security.
What the Peace Cycle has witnessed illustrates the abuses of human rights that at different times over many years have been judged to be illegal by international courts across the world. Yet the EU does nothing visible to bring Israel to account. Whilst this abuse goes on, the EU-Israel Association Agreement has allowed trade with Israel to flourish, with the addition of the EU-Israel Action Plan in 2005-2008 that has allowed for even closer partnerships to develop.
We believe the EU has a duty to uphold International Human Rights Law, and therefore it should suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement, and this measure of protest should be maintained until Israel ends the illegal occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the siege of Gaza and fully complies with international human rights law.
The Peace Cycle will personally deliver this petition to the European Parliament in Brussels on Tuesday 31st March 2009.
Thank you for taking the time to read this petition.
http://www.thepeacecycle.com/
PEACE ALL THE WORLD
The only way to accomplish peace in the middle-east is to strive for justice for all... if necessary by (economic)force.
None who have always been free can understand the terrible fascinating power of the hope of freedom to those who are not free.
THe movement for justice in Palestine/Israel is proliferating and becoming more organized on a scale never seen before. As a former AIPAC contributor, the truth given to me by my own exhaustive research has compelled me to go contrary to anything which may exacerbate the excessive force and abrogation of indigenous lands as done to our North American and Australian indigenous in Israel/Palestine. After my own research, I feel insulted in the credibility gap which our media has contributed to and feel the moral repugnance of watching our propaganda falling into the depths of insanity and evil. We must stop this now or forever be stigmatied with the guilt of what our future generations and our enemies will accuse us of in consideration with out difficult past. May God guide your keen and wise judgements to go diametric to this and every other measure which casts our posterity into the nadir of unbearable shame.
The EU-Israel Association Agreement basically governs trade and other political, social and cultural ties between the EU and Israel. Under the articles of the agreement, it states that all parties must adhere to human rights, and as Israel clearly violates a number of these rights, I believe that such preferential treatment MUST NOT be awarded to Israel by the EU.
Stop the massacre!!
I cannot stop crying when i see that situation, it so unfair. we must fight by all means necessary for palestinians dignity
We're with u Ô Palestine !
israel must STOP killing innocent people. They forgot what it was like to be exterminated. They should go back and think of the time when they were systematically being wiped out, and find it in their hearts to stop acting like they are something they are NOT.
Please end the Children of Israels enslavement and oppression of the Palestian Muslims, the Children of Adam
Boycooooooooooottt!!!
Human rights are a core principal of the European Union, but the EU lets Israel again and again break the basic human rights of the Palestinian population. This is not only about the war at the end of 2008. This is about the entire way Israel looks on the Palestinians. Israel don’t want peace, they want land and control. They use the means they have at their disposal to reach their goals, and the EU dos nothing. When shall we say stop, what law must Israel break before we say stop?
Every day the European Union continues trade and good relations with Israel, it is telling the nations of the world that the EU condones the massacre of Palestinian civilians. If this were not the case, all relations with Israel would have been ended in light of their war crimes against the Palestinian people. End the trade agreement, unless you really do believe that genocide against the Palestinian people is okay.
Que Dieu pardonne aux juifs (dirigeants et extremistes) l'horreur faite à ce pauvre et digne peuple Palestinien La Palestine vivra grace à cette force incroyable que possede les palestiniens courage mes frère que justice soit faite
STOOOOOOOPER CETTE INJUSTICE ! Pendant combien de temps encore la planete laissera faire les juifs ? j'ai honte d'etre juif
Former university vice-rector, Member Society of Christian Writers (Bucharest), Fellow Synodal Western Orthodox Mission.
Considering the devastation that Israel caused during the last Gaza offensive, where the basic human rights of the Palestinian people were entirely overlooked, I would ask the EU to suspend its trading agreements and press Israel to respect human rights and laws, including its continued contravention of International law in regards to its expansion into the West Bank. If the EU takes a strong and decisive stand this may force Israel to reconsider its actions.
De tout coeur avec les palestiens bafoués et en proie a tous ces manquements graves aux droits de l'humain et à la liberté. Tout est poussière d'étoiles.... Pour un monde de respect, d'harmonie et de liberté...
contre l'union de l'europe et l'israel dirigé par des sionistes sataniste.
Please do not support a country who treat Palestinians like the Jews were treated during WWII.
I think that - aside from pressure of the US on Israel - economic pressure is needed to force Israel to behave more responsible towards its neighbors and the international community.
Put humanity before economy!
I am convinced that only political and economic measures will impact to end the occupation of Palestinian land and the oppression of the Palestinian people. Words and treaties have not worked out - for the past 40 years the Palestinians have suffered and the suffering is still going on. As a citizen of the EU, I ask my representatives and the European executive to take action.
