Israel must face 'immediate and severe sanctions' for repression of Palestinians, says MEP Martina Anderson

SEVERE SANCTIONS must be imposed by the EU on Israel if it continues to ignore United Nations resolutions on the region and does not end its repression of the Palestinian people, Sinn Féin MEP Martina Anderson has said.

Martina Anderson (pictured) is Chairperson of the European Parliament Delegation for Relations with Palestine.

Welcoming the EU's reiteration of its commitment to achieving a two-state solution based on parameters set out in the Council Conclusions of July 2014, the Irish MEP said:

“It is abundantly clear that the oppressive security measures adopted by Israel are inflaming the atmosphere and creating the environment for continued conflict rather than defusing the situation.”

The former political prisoner said that conflict resolution, as demonstrated in other regions of the world, is achieved through dialogue and negotiation, not by increasing repression.

“Israeli action in the Palestinian Territories – the continued construction of illegal settlements, the separation wall, demolition of Palestinian homes and villages and confiscation of properties (including those housing EU-funded projects), evictions, illegal outposts and restrictions of movement are not conducive to building trust and respect and must cease.”

The Irish MEP said that Israel must end all settlement activity and dismantle illegal outposts. The EU must insist on Israeli compliance with international humanitarian law and international human rights or face “immediate and severe sanctions”, she declared.

She said that while the Palestinian Authority must do all it can to prevent violence emanating from areas under its control, Israel is the major protagonist in the conflict and many of its actions qualify as war crimes.

Israel, she declared, “must be left in no doubt that Europe will not carry on business as normal while it continues to flagrantly ignore a litany of UN resolutions”.