17 May 2006 - Green Party Euro-MP Caroline Lucas has condemned the EU’s failure to restore immediate financial assistance to Palestine as a slap in the face to democracy which will push the occupied territories to the brink of a humanitarian disaster.

“Living conditions in the Palestinian occupied territories have been deteriorating for years at the hands of the occupying Israeli forces, and any suspension of payments now will have severe consequences for the health, education and economic and social rights of the Palestinian people,” said Dr Lucas.

Dr Lucas made her comments as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the European Parliament in Strasbourg, and ahead of a central London rally taking place this Saturday organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

The Green Party Principal Speaker will join trade unionists, a representative of the Palestinian embassy in London and Jeremy Corbyn MP in calling for an end to the Israeli occupation. She will speak soon after 2pm, when the demonstrators are expected to arrive in Trafalgar Square after marching from Embankment (leaving 1pm) – pausing en route to deliver a petition to 10 Downing Street .

Dr Lucas, who is a member of the European Parliament’s delegation to the occupied territories, said: “We must respect Palestinian democracy, and deliver on our promises of financial support to prevent a humanitarian disaster in the occupied territories.

“The Palestinian civil and social services cannot function independently from external assistance, due primarily to the daily economic hardships inflicted by the occupying Israeli forces.

“Reports reaching the UK this week reveal that hospitals in the occupied territories have almost exhausted their supplies of essential equipment and medicines – and that hundreds of lives of the most vulnerable hang in the balance. Put simply, withholding financial assistance means allowing vulnerable Palestinians to die.

“Cutting funds from Palestine will have a terrible impact on civilians across the territory, more than half of whom are already living below the poverty line.

She added: “The EU must maintain their Palestinian funding, or risk completely undermining the causes of peace and democracy in the Middle East . D epriving the people of Palestine of their basic human rights just to punish their democratic choices is not a path to peace.”

ENDS