Gina Dowding, Green MEP for North West England, has just recently returned from a cross-party fact-finding trip for MEPs to Palestine-Israel and stated:
“I was quite shocked at the changes in the occupation of Palestine since I was last there in 2010. Everything there has deteriorated for the lives of people having to exist under the occupation. The only thing that remains strong, is the determination of the Palestinian people.
“Israel’s decades-long illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories is a systematic humiliation of Palestinians in the West Bank. It has grown increasingly unbearable for Palestinians, as the number and size of illegal settlements created by Israel have expanded deep into the land within the borders of a future State of Palestine.
“Netanyahu wants to think of himself as Prime Minister of a modern democracy, but he has no regard for international law. His plans for annexation should be sending a shiver down the spine of the international community.
“Both the United Nations and European Union have all been far too weak in responding to the occupation, Netanyahu’s blatant disregard for the future of a negotiated peace and the two-state solution.
“His latest plans must be a wake-up call. Should Netanyahu’s dangerous vision of apartheid proceed, an urgent and serious international diplomatic response should follow.
“The Blue and White party, considered to be the main opponents of Netanyahu in the election next week, have echoed similar sentiments about plans for the West Bank. This is a lifelong tragedy for generations of Palestinians.
“European governments and the European Union must turn their attention to ending the oppression of people in the West Bank.”
