2018 ORDINARY SESSION

________________________

(First part)

REPORT

Seventh sitting

Thursday 25 January 2018 at 10 a.m.

Debate:

 The Israeli-Palestinian peace process: the role of the Council of Europe

The following texts were submitted for inclusion in the official report by members who were present in the Chamber but were prevented by lack of time from delivering them.

Ms BRYNJÓLFSDÓTTIR (Iceland) – I thank Mr Corlăţean for his presentation of the report and today’s necessary discussion.

Small countries can have an important impact: Iceland was the first Western European country to recognise the independence of Palestine on 29 November 2011, when the Parliament of Iceland passed a resolution that authorised the government to officially recognise the State of Palestine within the 1967 borders. Full diplomatic relations exist between the two sides. Iceland’s political decision to recognise the independence of Palestine did not come out of the blue; it was taken with the full political support of the ruling political parties at that time. And if there was ever a need to encourage other countries to ensure full political support for the people of Palestine, it is now – on a national level, but also here, in the Council of Europe and the Parliamentary Assembly.

The Human Rights Watch annual report for 2017 highlights the fact that the Israeli Government has continued to enforce severe and discriminatory restrictions on Palestinians’ human rights, for example by restricting the movement of people and goods into and out of the Gaza Strip and by facilitating the unlawful transfer of Israeli citizens to settlements in the occupied West Bank. When it comes to the treatment of children, the Israeli authorities ought to be ashamed of the 315 Palestinian children who are being held in military detention. Children should never be held in military detention.