Palestinian Ambassador to EU looks forward to a more effective EU with Lisbon Treaty Reform of CFSP

Issued : Wednesday 30 September, 2009

Labour MEP Proinsias De Rossa, President of the European Parliament's Delegation to the Palestine Legislative Council (DPLC) today welcomed the positive comments by Ms Leila Shahid, Palestinian Ambassador to the EU, concerning the Lisbon Treaty.

Speaking at a meeting of the DPLC this morning in Brussels where she was briefing MEPs on the current status of the peace process she expressed the hope that the Lisbon Treaty would pass in Ireland. Palestinians she said urgently needed a more politically effective EU to keep the peace process alive and to ensure that progress could be made towards the creation of an independent and sustainable Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders.

She went on to outline the continuing reality on the ground and the worrying development where Israeli Settlers were allowed by the Israeli security forces to enter the Jerusalem Mosque. She pointed out that it was a similar act of provocation which led to the 2nd Intifada. Nevertheless despite Palestinian frustration with the failure so far to achieve a freeze on settlements President Abbas is determined to achieve progress towards an agreement.

Despite attempts by Israel to apply new preconditions to opening discussions he has agreed to continue discussing with the Obama Administration how to move forward. Ambassador Shahid pointed out that the unlawful siege of Gaza continues causing huge suffering and preventing reconstruction; that there are still 8,400 Palestinian prisoners, 300 of whom are children and 50 are women, some of whom have now been in jail for 32 years. She pointed out that the Palestinian authority is doing everything it can to attain the release of the Israeli soldier Corporal Gillat Shallit.

There was also a briefing by the European Commission on the current state of talks and the continuing need for political initiatives and support for economic development of the West bank and Gaza. He pointed out that a significant step in the economic development of the territories and of income for the Palestinian authority would be the issuing of a second mobile phone licence. However this is blocked because Israel refuses to release the necessary wave band.

Proinsias De Rossa will lead a delegation of the DPLC to the West Bank and Gaza in December to meet their counterparts in the Palestine Legislative Council (PLC) and to assess the political, humanitarian and economic and situation.