The second largest political group in the European Parliament, the S&D (made up of Socialists and Social Democrats) has decided to sign a partnership agreement with an Arab Israeli political party.

The agreement was announced during the visit in Brussels of a delegation from the Arab Movement for Change party led by is leader Ahmad Tibi who met with the S&D Group president Gianni Pitella.

According to S&D Vice-President Elena Valenciano, "the Palestinian Arab community in Israel has the potential to play a crucial role in achieving a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians, which makes their involvement in and contribution to the peace process imperative.’’

She continued: ‘’This community is facing many challenges today and continues to fight for its individual and collective rights. Realising this potential requires equal rights for them in their own country, which is not the case today. We are particularly concerned about the new nationality law proposal that is currently discussed in the Knesset, which goes against this principle and would make Palestinian Arabs in Israel second-class citizens even more than they are today."

Ahmad Tibi will participate in the S&D conference on the Middle East peace process which will take place in the European Parliament end of June with the participation of Israeli, Palestinian, European and American speakers.

MEP Victor Boştinaru, another Vice-President of the S&D Group, said:"The S&D Group has played a leading role in the political activities related to the Middle East peace process in the European Parliament and we are determined to continue on this path. We strongly support the two-state solution – with the state of Israel within secure and recognised borders and a sovereign, contiguous and viable state of Palestine living side-by-side in peace and security and mutual recognition along the 1967 borders, with mutually agreed land swaps and Jerusalem as capital of both states – as the only way to achieve a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.’’

EJP