Middle East Peace - Focus Switches to European Role - 2009-03-05

The European Union's role in advancing the Middle East Peace Process following the Sharm El Sheikh Peace Conference will come under the spotlight during a four-day visit of MEPs to Israel and the Palestinian Territories staring today (Thursday 5 March).

British Euro MP Richard Howitt, who was formerly an official EU observer at the Palestinian Legislative and Presidential elections, and who represents the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, says the Delegation will help shape European thinking during the crucial moments when governments are being formed on both sides.

Richard Howitt MEP says:

"We will be taking the temperature at a time when despite the statements made at Sharm, the results of the Israeli elections seem to put the two state-solution under threat.

"We will also test the political impact of the freezing of the planned upgrading of the EU-Israel association agreement, support for a negotiated solution to the Iran nuclear problem and the prospects for flexibility in the European position should Hamas join a new unity government.

"Serious questions need to be asked about the viability of Europe's 'PEGASE' funding mechanism for reconstruction in Gaza following the conflict, and about the prospects for reinstating our 'EUBAM' mission to help achieve an end to the blockade."

Richard Howitt MEP is part of the four-person mission which will meet Palestinian, Israeli and independent representatives and tour East Jerusalem to see for themselves the impact of current and planned settlement activity.

EDITOR'S NOTE: 

Richard Howitt MEP will be in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Bethlehem and Ramallah as part of a European Parliament political mission from the 5-8 March. During the mission he will be meeting with representatives of the Quartet, Israeli Government Ministers, Palestinian politicians and members of the political parties currently involved in Government formation negotiations.

Richard Howitt MEP is Labour's Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs in the European Parliament and a leading member of the Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee.  A Middle East Peace Process veteran, Richard Howitt MEP has served as an official EU election observer for both the Palestinian Presidential and Legislative Council elections, and more recently visited Gaza on a humanitarian mission to highlight suffering being caused to civilians by the blockade.

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