VP/HR — Israeli military training in the occupied Palestinian territory – E-008861-15

Question for written answer
to the Commission (Vice-President/High Representative)
Rule 130
Julie Ward (S&D) , Marisa Matias (GUE/NGL) , Alfred Sant (S&D) , Nessa Childers (S&D) , Ana Gomes (S&D) , Marc Tarabella (S&D) , Anneliese Dodds (S&D) , Klaus Buchner (Verts/ALE) , Ángela Vallina (GUE/NGL) , Afzal Khan (S&D) , Keith Taylor (Verts/ALE) , Lidia Senra Rodríguez (GUE/NGL) , Siôn Simon (S&D) , Edouard Martin (S&D) , Marina Albiol Guzmán (GUE/NGL) , Stelios Kouloglou (GUE/NGL) , Curzio Maltese (GUE/NGL) , Jude Kirton-Darling (S&D) , Fernando Maura Barandiarán (ALDE) , Lynn Boylan (GUE/NGL) , Matt Carthy (GUE/NGL) , Martina Anderson (GUE/NGL) , Liadh Ní Riada (GUE/NGL) , Sofia Sakorafa (GUE/NGL) , Ernest Maragall (Verts/ALE) , Margrete Auken (Verts/ALE) , Pascal Durand (Verts/ALE) , Ivo Vajgl (ALDE) , Anne-Marie Mineur (GUE/NGL) , Izaskun Bilbao Barandica (ALDE) , Pablo Iglesias (GUE/NGL) , Tanja Fajon (S&D) , Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) , Javier Nart (ALDE)

Subject: VP/HR — Israeli military training in the occupied Palestinian territory
On 4 May 2015 a coalition of Palestinian organisations wrote to the Commission regarding unprecedentedly large Israeli military exercises in the Jordan Valley, in the occupied Palestinian territory. These exercises seriously affect communities in that region, and the designation of large areas of the occupied Palestinian territory as military closed zones and firing zones leads to violations of human rights and international law.

The EU has previously expressed grave concern at Israeli policies regarding Area C, including military training, which amount to forced population transfer and undermine the viability of the two-state solution, as also noted by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Given the VP/HR’s statement on the new Israeli Government on 7 May 2015:
1. Is the VP/HR aware of the increase in military training in the Jordan Valley and the fact that these military exercises lead to human rights violations?
2. Will the VP/HR publicly condemn Israel’s policies regarding Area C, including the military training and other measures that could make the continued presence of the Palestinian population in Area C unsustainable?
3. What effective measures will the VP/HR adopt to comply with the obligation of third states to ensure the respect of the IV Geneva Convention and peremptory norms of international law by Israel?

Answer given by the High Representative/Vice-President Mogherini (12.11.2015)
The EU notes with concern the practice of temporary evacuations of population in the Jordan Valley and/or other areas of Area C for military training or related purposes.

It should be noted that, according to the Oslo agreements and in view of its gradual transfer to Palestinian jurisdiction and permanent status negotiations, Israel retains full civil and security control over Area C. This includes responsibility over planning and zoning, which must however be carried out for the benefit of the civilian population in compliance with international law.

The EU has a clear position on the applicability of international human rights and humanitarian law in the occupied Palestinian territory and will continue to urge Israel to fully comply with it, including by cooperating with international accountability mechanism. The EU also remains committed to actively contribute to a negotiated solution based on the two-state solution, ending the occupation and fulfilling the legitimate aspirations of both parties.

Suġġett: VP/HR – Taħriġ militari Iżraeljan fit-territorju Palestinjan okkupat
Fl-4 ta’ Mejju 2015 koalizzjoni ta’ organizzazzjonijiet Palestinjani kitbet lill-Kummissjoni rigward eżerċizzji militarji Iżraeljani bla preċedent fil-Wied tal-Ġordan, fit-territorju Palestinjan okkupat. Dawn l-eżerċizzji jaffettwaw serjament lill-komunitajiet f’dak ir-reġjun, u d-deżinjazzjoni ta’ żoni kbar tat-territorju Palestinjan okkupat bħala żoni militari magħluqa u żoni ta’ sparar twassal għal ksur tad-drittijiet tal-bniedem u tad-dritt internazzjonali.
L-UE preċedentement esprimiet preokkupazzjoni kbira ferm dwar politiki Iżraeljani rigward Area C, inkluż it-taħriġ militari, li jammontaw għal trasferiment furzat tal-popolazzjoni u jipperikolaw il-vijabbiltà tas-soluzzjoni ta’ żewġ stati, kif innota wkoll l-Uffiċċju tan-NU għall-Koordinazzjoni tal-Affarijiet Umanitarji. Fid-dawl tal-istqarrija tal-VP/RGħ dwar il-Gvern Iżraeljan il-ġdid tas-7 ta’ Mejju 2015:
1. Il-VP/RGħ hija konxja taż-żieda fit-taħriġ militari fil-Wied tal-Ġordan u tal-fatt li dawn l-eżerċizzji militari jwasslu għal ksur tad-drittijiet tal-bniedem?
2. Il-VP/RGħ se tikkundanna pubblikament il-politiki tal-Iżrael rigward Area C, inklużi t-taħriġ militari u miżuri oħra li jistgħu jagħmlu l-preżenza kontinwa tal-popolazzjoni Palestinjana f’Area C insostenibbli?
3. X’miżuri effikaċi se tadotta l-VP/RGħ għall-konformità mal-obbligu ta’ stati terzi li jiżguraw ir-rispett tar-IV Konvenzjoni ta’ Ġinevra u ta’ normi perentorji tad-dritt internazzjonali min-naħa tal-Iżrael?

Tweġiba mogħtija mir-Rappreżentant Għoli/Viċi President Mogherini (12.11.2015)

L-UE tinnota bi tħassib il-prattika ta’ evakwazzjonijiet temporanji tal-popolazzjoni fil-Wied tal-Ġordan u / jew f’żoni oħra taż-Żona C għal taħriġ militari jew għanijiet relatati.

Għandu jiġi nnutat li, skont il-ftehimiet ta’ Oslo u minħabba t-trasferiment gradwali lill-ġurisdizzjoni Palestinjana u negozjati dwar l-istatus permanenti, l-Iżrael għadu jżomm kontroll ċivili u tas-sigurtà sħiħ fuq iż-Żona C. Dan jinkludi responsabbiltà tal-ippjanar u taż-zoning, li iżda jridu jsiru għall-benefiċċju tal-popolazzjoni ċivili f’konformità mad-dritt internazzjonali.

L-UE għandha pożizzjoni ċara dwar l-applikabbiltà tad-drittijiet internazzjonali tal-bniedem u tad-dritt umanitarju internazzjonali fit-territorju Palestinjan okkupat u se tkompli tħeġġeġ lill-Iżrael biex jikkonforma magħha, fosthom billi jikkoopera mal-mekkaniżmu ta’ responsabbiltà internazzjonali. L-UE tibqa’ wkoll impenjata li tikkontribwixxi b’mod attiv għal soluzzjoni nnegozjata bbażata fuq is-soluzzjoni ta’ żewġ stati, it-tmiem tal-okkupazzjoni u li jkunu sodisfati l-aspirazzjonijiet leġittimi taż-żewġ partijiet.