‘’By building illegal projects in Area C of the West Bank, the EU violates international treaties with taxpayers' money,’’ said German Member of the European Parliament Arne Gericke during a debate Tuesday evening in the parliament in Strasbourg over the ‘’West Bank displacemet and demolitions, including of EU-funded projects.’’

Despite the fact that no construction can take place in Area C of the West Bank without the approval of Israel which has full civil and security control over the area under the 1993 Oslo agreements, the EU has built structures for the Palestinians. Many of those illegal structures built without permission have been demolished.

‘’If this would have happened in Germany, the buildings would have been ripped off immediately and those responsible would probably go to prison,’’ said Gericke, a member of the Conservatives and Reformists group in the European Parliament.

The EU argues that ‘’Area C is part of the occupied Palestinian territory and part of any viable future Palesltinian state" and that ''all activity in the West Bank is fully in line with internationa humanitarian lawthe buildings

During the debate, which was initiated by Irish MEP Martina Anderson, who chairs the Delegation for relations with Palestine, several MEPs, mainly from the the Left, called for a financial compensation for the destructions and even for suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement. ‘’Words are not enough, the EU must suspend the agreement which in article 1 mentions specifically the respect of human rights,’’ said Neoklis Sylikiotis, a Cypriot member of the European Left Group.

Among the pro-Israel MEPs who attended the late evening debate, Bastiaan Belder from Holland slammed the uniltateral action of the EU ''concealed under the idea of humanitarian aid'' which, he said, ''disregards Israeli military duties in the aerea.'' ‘’The EU unilateral action simply stokes the flame of the conflict. Not to mention the waste of European taxpayers money,’’ he said.

Addressing EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, who was present and spoke during the debate, Belder said: ‘’On the day which Israel is commemorating the thousands of victims of wars, I find it very strange that we are criticising Israel. There is no talk about the terror conducted by Hamas. I have heard no clear position of the EU regarding the role of Hamas. I find the EU hypocritical and irresponsible. The EU has sidelined its ability to help find a solution in Israel and the region.’’

In her speech, Mogherini said that ‘’the expansion of settlements challenges the two-state solution. So does the growing trend of demolitions and confiscations of Palestinian structures, including those funded by the European Union and Member States. The same goes for the worsening living conditions of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza".

But she stressed that "to be clear from the outset, demolitions and Israel’s settlement policy are not the only challenges to the two-state solution. Terrorist attacks and hate speech challenge the two states. The lack of Palestinian unity challenges the two states. A growing sense of disillusion and despair – on both sides – is a powerful enemy of peace."

She insisted on the need ‘’to keep in mind the bigger picture even when we focus as we do tonight on one specific element of''. ’

‘’Only a serious and meaningful peace process can lead out of the current downward spiral, she insisted, "we continue to work on a daily basis on two states living side by side, in peace and in security, to end the conflict and all claims,’’ Mogherini declared.

by Yossi Lempkowicz