24 January 2008 - Euro-MP Caroline Lucas has expressed outrage at the continuing humanitarian crisis in Palestine in a strongly worded letter to the European Commission today, and called for EU law to be enforced to bring Israel to account for its ongoing blockade.

As Egypt begins to rebuild its border following Wednesday’s desperate influx of Palestinians in search of food and supplies, Dr Lucas commented: “The world seems united in condemning these latest breaches of humanitarian law, international human rights law and the Fourth Geneva Convention by the Israeli government.

“The UN estimates that Israel’s longstanding campaign of ‘collective punishment’ against the people of Gaza, which cuts off the flow of fuel, commercial and humanitarian supplies and profoundly affects the region’s water sanitation system, is responsible for the intense suffering of over 860,000 vulnerable people - yet once again, no real action is being taken.

“It is not surprising that the Palestinian people feel forgotten by the EU. The EU’s Association Agreement on trade with Israel is expressly dependent on Israel meeting basic human rights, yet despite persistent breaches, these clauses have never been invoked.

“Just as it is immoral and illegal to punish a civilian population, it is also immoral for other nations to stand back and allow such a disaster to unfold. The crisis in Gaza has escalated because the Palestinians are being heavily penalised for ‘wrongly’ backing Hamas in the elections of January 2006. Depriving the people of Palestine of their basic human rights clearly to punish their democratic choices is not a path to peace.

“It is surely now more apparent than ever before that Israel is not respecting the EU’s principles with regards to democratic civil and human rights. Under these circumstances, the EU’s Association Agreement with Israel must be immediately suspended. Suspending the trade agreement and attaching the necessary conditions to any future trade policy with Israel would allow the EU an opportunity to play a significant role in brining peace and stability to the Middle East.

“Such action would not only place pressure on the Israeli government, it would send a decisive message about Europe’s unwillingness to tolerate the targeting of Palestine’s civilian population. It would also communicate hope to the beleaguered population of Gaza. Peace can only flourish in a climate of hope."

ENDS

Notes to Editors

A demonstration in support of the Palestinian people will take place on Saturday 26 January at Downing Street. For more information, please visit http://www.palestinecampaign.org/?sel=82 .