Ref: 16/2010
On Wednesday, 10 March 2010, the
European Parliament adopted a resolution that backs the findings of the UN Fact
Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict (the Goldstone Report) and urges its
member states to “demand the implementation of the Goldstone Report’s
recommendations and accountability for all violations of international law”.
The resolution calls all parties to respect international humanitarian law and
international human rights law under all circumstances.
In
line with the UN General Assembly resolution adopted on 26 February, the
European Parliament “urges both sides to conduct investigations within
five months that meet international standards of independence, impartiality,
transparency, promptness and effectiveness.”
The
parliamentary resolution also calls the High Representative of the Union for
Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and EU member states to work towards a
strong EU common position on the follow-up to the Goldstone Report and to
publicly “demand the implementation of its recommendations and
accountability for all violations of international law, including alleged war
crimes”.
Most
importantly, the EU Representatives for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,
along with the member states, are called to “monitor actively the
implementation of recommendations included in the Goldstone Report by
consulting the EU’s external missions and NGOs working in the field”.
The
Resolution also expresses its concern about pressure placed on the NGOs which
were involved in the preparation of the Goldstone Report and calls upon on all
sides to refrain from any measures restricting the activities of these
organizations. Finally, the European Parliament welcomed the Resolution of the
Council of the European Union of 8 December 2009, which calls for
“an immediate, sustained and unconditional opening of crossings”
along the Gaza-Israel frontier as the blockade has further worsened the
humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
The Resolution represents the first
time that the European Parliament adopts a measure of this nature, imbuing this
organ with the power to actively monitor the implementation of an instrument
regarding the respect of international humanitarian law and human rights law.
PCHR expresses its satisfaction with
the position taken by the European Parliament. This resolution shows that the
European Parliament has finally recognized the EU obligation to protect and
ensure the respect of international humanitarian law and international human
rights law by all parties and under any circumstances in the conflict.
PCHR welcomes the European Parliament’s stand for human rights and respect for
international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, especially in view of
the failure of the member states to fulfill, individually or collectively, their
respective obligation in this field.
PCHR stresses the urgent need that the
EU Representatives and EU member states work towards a strong EU common
position on the follow-up to the Goldstone Report in order to achieve
accountability for all violations of international law, including alleged war
crimes.
PCHR calls EU member states and all
EU bodies and organs to take action accordingly, in order to ensure that the
recommendations of the Resolution are effectively implemented.
The full text of the Resolution is
available at:
