[Nettime-bold] EU backs Arafat, asks Israel to pay for damage

[sharif ezzat <sharif@goodfoodpro.com>]

how exactly does the destruction of vital infrastructure discourage 
terrorism? wouldn't it provoke and legitimize acts of opposition 
instead?

-- sharif

_______________________________________________

EU publicly backs Arafat in fresh challenge to Bush

By Stephen Castle in Brussels
29 January 2002


Europe and the US were at odds over the Middle East last night after 
the EU issued a statement in defence of Yasser Arafat, and said it 
may demand compensation from Israel for EU-funded property it has 
destroyed in Palestine.

In stark contrast to recent US criticism of Mr Arafat, the EU said " 
... Israel needs the Palestinian Authority and its elected president, 
Yasser Arafat, as a partner to negotiate with". Some EU foreign 
ministers were more blunt, Sweden's Anna Lindh, being the most 
outspoken.

As she arrived for yesterday's meeting of EU foreign ministers, she 
said: "I think it is very dangerous if the United States is 
supportive of the Israeli government and of the confrontation 
[Israeli Prime Minister Ariel] Sharon has tried to use instead of 
supporting peace talks."

Diplomats said the EU declaration was balanced and pointed out that 
it called on Mr Arafat to "do everything to put an end to terrorism 
and the armed intifada; dismantle all the terrorist networks and 
arrest and prosecute the perpetrators of terrorist acts".

The EU is to write to the Israeli Foreign Minister, Shimon Peres, 
keeping open the option of seeking compensation from the Israeli 
government for the EU-backed projects which have been destroyed. Last 
week the European Commission and member states released a document 
which blamed Israel for the destruction of more than ¤17m (£10.3m) 
worth of property paid for by the EU. It listed a catalogue of 
destruction wreaked by the Israeli army at sites including a school 
construction, the airport, a port, broadcasting studios and an 
irrigation scheme.

Josep Pique, the Foreign Minister of Spain which holds the EU 
presidency, said: "We reserve the right to call for compensation. We 
are going to take whatever decision we believe to be appropriate."

The EU's declaration said it is "seriously concerned at the 
destruction of Palestinian infrastructure and other facilities which 
help Palestinians in their economic, social and humanitarian 
development and which are financed by the EU and other donors."


http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=116936

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