Letter to the EU concerning Palestinian elections

Posted in Our Work |

To the attention of High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/V-ce President

Dear Mr. Borrell,

As civil society organisations from different European countries, we would like to alert you to the responsibility of the European Union to protect the Palestinian elections scheduled for 22nd May, 31st July and 31st August 2021, under Israeli occupation and blockade.

We know that the European Union intends, as in 2006, to send observers to the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem to verify the proper conduct of the elections. We understand that to date the Israeli authorities have not allowed the delegation responsible for organising this observation mission to visit Palestine.

Our second concern is the participation of the Palestinians residing in East Jerusalem, which is illegally annexed by Israel, in these three votes. Their participation is unanimously demanded by all Palestinian parties, but on this point Israel has so far given only extremely negative signals.

Our third concern is the increasingly frequent imprisonment by Israel of candidates for these elections, of political leaders of parties involved in them, and of members of civil society who want to express their views on their context and the issues at stake.

On these three points, Mr. Borrell, we ask you to convey forcefully the will of the European Union to protect the Palestinian people, and the demand to Israel that these obstacles be lifted. We ask you to put on the agenda of a forthcoming Foreign Affairs Council the imposition of sanctions against the State of Israel if it does not respect these demands.

We also trust that the European Union and its Member States will make a solemn declaration at the next Foreign Affairs Council that they will respect the results of the forthcoming Palestinian elections, recognise all the institutions and individuals that will be accredited as a result of these elections (parliament, government, president, council and executive of the PLO), and collaborate with and protect them.

Yours sincerely,

Signatory organisations

  1. ECCP – European Coordination of Committees and Associations for Palestine
  2. Europe Ecologie Les Verts – EELV – political party, France
  3. Ensemble – political party, France
  4. Parti Communiste Français – political party, France
  5. Fiom – Cgil – trade union, Venezia, Italy
  6. Union syndicale Solidaires – trade union, France
  7. Pax Christi – Italy
  8. Sadaka – Ireland
  9. Al Haq – Palestine
  10. Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions – Finland
  11. The Rights Forum – The Netherlands
  12. DocP – The Netherlands
  13. Plateforme des ONG françaises pour la Palestine – France
  14. Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign – Ireland
  15. Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign – Scotland
  16. Bündnis für Gerechtigkeit zwischen Israelis und Palästinensern e.V. – Germany
  17. Comité pour une Paix Juste au Proche-Orient – Luxembourg
  18. The association of Norwegian NGOs for Palestine – Norway
  19. Association Suisse-Palestine – Switzerland
  20. Union Juive Françaises Pour La Paix – France
  21. Association France Palestine Solidarité (AFPS) – France
  22. The Palestine Solidarity Association of Sweden – Sweden
  23. Chrétiens de la Méditerranée – France
  24. Society for Austro-Arab Relations – Austria
  25. German-Palestinian Association – Germany
  26. Finnish-Arab Friendship Society – Finland
  27. Association des Universitaires pour le Respect du Droit International en Palestine (AURDIP) – France
  28. Femmes en Noir (FEN) – France
  29. Une Autre Voix Juive (UAVJ) – France
  30. AOI – Associazione organizzazioni italiane di cooperazione e solidarietà internazionale – Italy
  31. MRAP (Mouvement contre le Racisme et pour l’Amitié entre les Peuples) – France
  32. CPPI Saint-Denis [Collectif Paix Palestine Israël] – France
  33. ODV SALAAM RAGAZZI DELL’OLIVO COMITATO DI TRIESTE – Italy
  34. Belgian Campaign for Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (BACBI) – Belgium
  35. Gaza Action Ireland – Ireland
  36. Comunità delle Piagge – Italy
  37. Cultura è libertà – Italy
  38. Parallelo Palestina – Italy
  39. Action Solidarité Tiers Monde (ASTM) – Luxembourg
  40. Women in Black – Italy
  41. Associazione per la Pace – Modena – Italy
  42. AssoPacePalestina – Italy
  43. Noi Siamo Chiesa – Italy
  44. Women in Black (Vienna) – Austria
  45. AssopacePalestina Milano – Italy
  46. Salaam Ragazzi dell’Olivo-Onlus- Milano – Italy
  47. Donne in Nero Bologna – Italy
  48. Comitato Modena Incontra Jenin – Italy
  49. Centro Studi Sereno Regis – Italy
  50. Accademia Apuana della Pace – Italy
  51. Associazione Nazionale per la Pace – Italy
  52. BDS Berlin – Germany
  53. Le mouvement de la Paix – France
  54. Association France Palestine Solidarité Alzace – France
  55. Chrétiens de la Méditerranée ( CDM) – France
  56. Rete Roman di Solidarietà con il Popolo Palestinese – Italy
  57. Casa per la Pace Modena – Italy
  58. ULAIA ArteSud onlus – Italy
  59. MIR Movimento Internazionale della.Riconciliazione – Italy
  60. Comhlámh Justice 4 Palestine – Ireland
  61. Palestina Solidariteit – Belgium
  62. Intal – Belgium
  63. The Workers’ Communist Party of France – France
  64. New Weapons Research Group – Italy
  65. Salaam Ragazzi dell’Olivo – Italy
  66. l’Association de jumelage des camps de réfugiés palestiniens et des villes françaises – France
  67. Forum Palestina – Italy
  68. CASA DEI DIRITTI DEI POPOLI – Italy
  69. Accademia Apuana della Pace – Italy
  70. Collectif Solidarité Palestine du Calvados – France
  71. La Cimade – Italy
  72. Un Ponte Per – Italy
  73. Associazione Comunità Papa Giovanni XXIII – Italy
  74. Associazione per la Pace – Padova – Italy
  75. MAIS ngo – Italy
  76. Centro Documentazione Manifesto Pacifista Internazionale – Italy

French version