EU Statement – United Nations 3rd Committee: Interactive dialogue on human rights in the Palestinian territories

Mr. President,

Thank you, Special Rapporteur for your report, which we will read carefully.

What are your priorities for the year to come?  

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The EU position on the Middle East Peace Process remains unchanged.

The EU remains committed to a just and comprehensive resolution of the Israeli Palestinian conflict through a two-state solution and an agreement that ends the occupation which began in 1967, ending all claims and fulfilling the aspirations of both parties, including Israeli and Palestinian security needs and Palestinian aspirations for statehood and sovereignty, on the basis of relevant UN Security Council Resolutions and internationally agreed parameters. The EU's firm and united position on these Resolutions and parameters has been set out in detail on numerous occasions. We reaffirm our readiness to work with both parties and our partners in the region and the international community towards the resumption of meaningful negotiations to resolve all final status issues and to achieve a just and lasting peace.

Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are illegal under international law and constitute a significant obstacle to peace, as reaffirmed in UN Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016). The ongoing Israeli settlement policy threatens the prospects for a two-state solution. The EU calls on Israel to halt continued settlement expansion, including East Jerusalem, especially in sensitive areas such as Har Homa, Givat Hamatos and E1, which severely threatens the two-state solution.

The EU welcomes the announcement on the normalisation of the relations between the state of Israel and the United Arab Emirates and the establishment of diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Bahrain. Israel’s commitment to suspend plans to unilaterally annex areas of the occupied Palestinian territory is a positive step. Any unilateral decision that undermines a lasting, agreed solution should be avoided. The EU reiterates that any annexation would constitute a serious violation of international law.

Recent and increasing violence in Gaza, including firing of rockets into Israel, as well as in the West Bank, remind us that restoring a political horizon for peace between Israelis and Palestinians is essential to reduce violence and contain extremism in the region

In light of recent tensions, which threaten exacerbating the risk to the whole region, the EU recalls the special significance of the holy sites in Jerusalem and calls for upholding the status quo put in place in 1967 for the Temple Mount / al-Haram al-Sharif in line with previous understandings and with respect to Jordan's special role.

Ultimately, sustainable solutions to the conflicts in the Middle East can only be found through multilateral cooperation, i.e. through policy and actions coordinated by the international community, some of which are translated into international law, in other words by means of a rules-based international order, to which the parties on the ground and international actors shall commit themselves.

The European Union expresses strong support for the work undertaken by UN Special Coordinator for the Peace process, Nickolay Mladenov. We commend his efforts to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.  

Finally, let me conclude by saying that it is the lack of implementation of agreed policies and enforcement of international law that is the real challenge to bring about peace and security in the Middle East. It has almost become fashionable simply not to agree on a course of action and not to follow agreements. Narrow interests often prevail over the international need for compromise and mutual gain. The international community must therefore seek methods to make agreed policies implementable and to ensure full respect for international law.