Ambassadorial Briefing and Dinner

On the 5th September 2017, EIPA held an Ambassadorial Briefing and Dinner with His Excellency Ambassador to the EU and NATO Aharon Leshno-Yaar which was attended by 18 high ranking cross-Party MEPs and some of their Chiefs of Staff.


EIPA welcomes EP anti-boycott stance

EIPA welcomes European Parliament position on the need to fight  ‘unfair collective boycotts”, as stated in its annual report on EU Competition policy, a milestone achievement in the fight against the movement calling for a boycott of the State of Israel, respectively Boycott Sanctions and Divestment movement.  

The legislative amendment, spearheaded by MEP Fulvio Martusciello (EPP, Italy) Chair of the delegation for relations with the State of Israel, introduced for the first time in an EU legislative report a clear condemnation of any boycott practice, including against the State of Israel.

The push followed a previous Cross Party MEPs Declaration on BDS delivered by MEP Fulvio Martusciello at an event hosted by EIPA and the Israel mission to the EU in the European Parliament in Bruxelles, and co-signed by 12 other MEP from the other three major political groups, calling for a “ resolute opposition to any form of boycott of the State of Israel, and any organizations or entities pushing for boycott”.

Please see co-signatories and full statement bellow.

I would like therefore to outline the following principles, as agreed by a number of my peers across the political spectrum:

  • We firmly stand for a secure State of Israel and for a peaceful resolution to the Israeli – Palestinian conflict.
  • We support the enshrined right of the freedom of speech and we understand the importance of criticism in any participatory democracy, accordingly Israel is such a strong testimony of a healthy dialogue between the government and its civil society.
  • We resolutely oppose any form of boycott of the State of Israel, and any organizations or entities pushing for boycott, as well as any hate speech that discriminates against a group on the grounds of their ethnicity or religion, respectively Jews or Israelis.
  • Ultimately, we believe that activities carried in the international arena seeking to ‘isolate’ Israel run counter to building trust and understanding between the parties, and ultimately peace.

Respectfully,

MEP Fulvio Martusciello (EPP, Italy)

MEP Arne Gericke (ECR, Germany)

MEP Petras Austrevicius (ALDE, Lithuania)

MEP Lars Adaktusson (EPP, Sweden)

MEP Cristian Dan Preda (EPP, Romania)

MEP Milan Zver (EPP, Slovenia)

MEP Tunne Kelam (EPP, Estonia)

MEP Patricija SULIN (EPP, Slovenia)

MEP Marijana PETIR (EPP, Croatia)

MEP Hannu Takkula (ALDE, Finland)

MEP Geoffrey Van ORDEN (ECR, UK)

MEP Artis Pabriks (EPP, Latvia)


MEPs DEMAND PERSONAL DENOUNCEMENT OF TERROR ATTACK AND PLO FROM EU FOREIGN CHIEF MOGHERINI

By now, you will have undoubtedly heard about last night’s despicable terror attack in the trendy and buzzing Sarona district of Tel Aviv, in which 4 people were killed and over a dozen injured when two gunmen opened fire on diners in a restaurant.

EIPA was busy as soon as news broke of the attack, and today we managed to mobilise 21 vital and important voices in the European Parliament, despite a busy Strasbourg session into action. Why did we do so?

Largely because of the anodyne response from the EEAS’ chief’s Federica Mogherini spokesperson. It appeared that the attack didn’t warrant a response from the High Representative herself in person.

This is the sum total of what the spokesperson had to say:

“Wednesday night’s terror attack in the Sarona complex in Tel Aviv exposed scores of innocent civilians and families to indiscriminate fire. Four people were killed and more seriously injured. Our thoughts are with the families of the dead and injured. Those responsible for these murders must be brought to justice. Those who praise this attack must be condemned.”

A cross-party group of 21 Members of the European Parliament – including Vice-Presidents, Senior Foreign Affairs Committee Members and the Chairman for the delegation for relations with Israel felt this didn’t go nearly far enough.

The MEPs, in their joint statement – which we at EIPA initiated – said today from Strasbourg”

 “We Members of the European Parliament, are shocked and saddened at the terror attack that took place last night in the Sarona Market, Tel Aviv.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, Idan Ben Arieh, Ilana Neveh, Michael Faiga and Mila Meshayev and we wish a speedy recovery to the 13 people wounded as a consequence of this heinous and abhorrent terrorist act.

“We condemn in the strongest possible terms this act of senseless barbarism, and call upon the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, to promptly, and without equivocation, denounce this act of terrorism, and again on the occasion of his visit to the European Parliament on June 22.

“We also call upon the High Representative of the European Union, Federica Mogherini, to condemn this terrorist act, and to denounce the Palestine Liberation Organisation for inciting further violence by calling the attack ‘a natural response’.

“We reiterate our ongoing support for a two state solution on the basis of 1967 borders, whilst ensuring the security of the State of Israel in tandem with an independent democratic and viable Palestinian State.”

We at EIPA want to thank the 21 MEPs, and if you want to as well, their names are below and you can find their details HERE

Cristian Dan PREDA (EPP, Romania), Ramon TREMOSA I BALCELLS (ALDE, Spain), Lars ADAKTUSSON (EPP, Sweden), Fulvio MARTUSCIELLO (EPP, Italy), Arne GERICKE (ECR, Germany), Petras AUSTREVICIUS (Vice-Chair ALDE, Lithuania), Jan ZAHRADIL (Vice-Chair ECR, Czech Republic), Bas BELDER (ECR, the Netherlands), Tunne KELAM (EPP, Estonia), Hannu TAKKULA (ALDE, Finland), Marijana PETIR ( EPP, Croatia), Milan ZVER (EPP, Slovenia), Frederique RIES (ALDE, Belgium), Geoffrey van ORDEN ( Vice-chair ECR, UK), Charles TANNOCK (ECR, UK), Ioan Mircea PASCU (S&D, Romania, Vice President of the European Parliament), Andrej PLENKOVIC (EPP, Croatia), Artis PABRIKS (EPP, Latvia), Davor Ivo STIER (EPP, Croatia), Ryszard CZARNECKI (ECR, Poland, Vice President of the European Parliament), Ramona Nicole MANESCU (EPP, Romania)

In the meantime, we thank for your support at this difficult time, and we all hope for easier days ahead.

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