Looking in-depth at the Middle East Peace Process, the S&D
Group is hosting a two-day conference in the European Parliament
today and tomorrow, with prominent speakers from Israel, Palestine,
Europe and the United States. In his opening speech,
S&D Group president Gianni Pittella MEP said: “After 50
years of occupation and almost 25 years after the Oslo Accords, a
silent, tacit approval of the stalemate in the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict seems to prevail. But in...Request free trial
Looking in-depth at the Middle East Peace Process, the S&D
Group is hosting a two-day conference in the European Parliament
today and tomorrow, with prominent speakers from Israel, Palestine,
Europe and the United States.
In his opening speech, S&D Group president Gianni Pittella MEP
said:
“After 50 years of occupation and almost 25 years after the Oslo
Accords, a silent, tacit approval of the stalemate in the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict seems to prevail. But in the meantime,
this endless occupation leads to a constantly deteriorating reality
for millions of Palestinians and, in a different way, for millions
of Israelis. 50 years after the Six-Day War, we have to say it
clear and loud: the occupation of Palestine must come to an end and
a just and lasting peace must be achieved between Israelis and
Palestinians, and between Arabs and Jews in the Middle East. Our
conference today is a unique opportunity for discussion among
progressives on how we can best contribute to keeping the hope of
peace in the Middle East alive." S&D Group vice-president Elena
Valenciano MEP said:
“The S&D Group has been playing a leading role in the European
Parliament with regard to the Middle East Peace Process, and we are
determined to continue on this path. The time has come for the
European Union to play a genuine political role in this process.
The international community needs to learn from the past in order
not to make the same mistakes again in the future: the parameters
of the solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are evident but
the political will to implement them is
lacking. This conference is about exploring
the ways how progressives political actors and the civil
society are able to retrieve and reinforce that political
initiative. This is not only a matter of existing or non-existing
countries: this is about a people that have been
suffering for 70 years of conflict and 50 years of occupation.”
S&D Group vice-president Victor BoÅŸtinaru MEP said:
“The story of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not only about
wars and negotiations, it is first and foremost about human beings
on both sides. This reminds us that peace will never be achieved by
arms or walls, but by people. It is in this spirit that the S&D
Group has supported civil-society organisations bringing together
Israelis and Palestinians to work on joint projects over the past
years. We are proud of our fruitful collaboration with the Parents
Circle - Families Forum and with EcoPeace Middle East, to name just
two of our partners. While peace between Israelis and Palestinians
can only be achieved through a political process, it can only be
sustainable through popular support generated by civil society.
Therefore, protecting and supporting civil society on both sides
remains of crucial importance.”
