Council of Europe arms embargo on Israel
al haaretz | 29.04.2002 16:15
By Gideon Alon and Amnon Barzilai
The Council of Europe is scheduled to hold "an urgent debate on the situation in the Middle East" today and will consider a number of proposals to curtail relations with Israel - including an arms embargo - due to allegations of human rights abuses in the territories.
Meanwhile, Norway has already decided to prohibit military procurement from Israeli companies. R.B. Tec, a developer of electronic surveillance systems based in Ramat Hasharon, received a letter yesterday from the Norwegian Defense Ministry explaining that the company could not compete for a Norwegian Army tender due to the situation in the Middle East.
There have been several cases of European countries canceling or suspending export permits for military components to Israel, but the Norwegian decision marks the first instance of a European country imposing a boycott on military procurement from Israel due to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
The plenary session of the council's Parliamentary Assembly opened in Strasbourg on Monday and is due to conclude on Friday. Israeli representatives at the session include Labor MKs Haim Ramon and Avraham Shochat, Likud MK Michael Eitan, Shinui MK Yosef Lapid and Shas MK David Tal.
The assembly is to vote today on a proposal submitted by a Dutch socialist legislator calling for European countries to impose an arms embargo on Israel. A French representative has proposed the Council of Europe commission a special report on Israel's action in the territories, with a focus on human rights. Another proposal slated to come before the plenary session today would warn Israel that its observer status would be suspended if it violates human rights and blocks international humanitarian efforts.
The Palestinian Authority's representative at the meeting, Ziyad Abu Zayad, condemned Israeli military action in the territories and the representatives of Poland and Spain compared the resistance of Palestinians in the Jenin refugee camp to the Jewish revolt in the besieged Warsaw ghetto 60 years ago.
The Council of Europe is scheduled to hold "an urgent debate on the situation in the Middle East" today and will consider a number of proposals to curtail relations with Israel - including an arms embargo - due to allegations of human rights abuses in the territories.
Meanwhile, Norway has already decided to prohibit military procurement from Israeli companies. R.B. Tec, a developer of electronic surveillance systems based in Ramat Hasharon, received a letter yesterday from the Norwegian Defense Ministry explaining that the company could not compete for a Norwegian Army tender due to the situation in the Middle East.
There have been several cases of European countries canceling or suspending export permits for military components to Israel, but the Norwegian decision marks the first instance of a European country imposing a boycott on military procurement from Israel due to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
The plenary session of the council's Parliamentary Assembly opened in Strasbourg on Monday and is due to conclude on Friday. Israeli representatives at the session include Labor MKs Haim Ramon and Avraham Shochat, Likud MK Michael Eitan, Shinui MK Yosef Lapid and Shas MK David Tal.
The assembly is to vote today on a proposal submitted by a Dutch socialist legislator calling for European countries to impose an arms embargo on Israel. A French representative has proposed the Council of Europe commission a special report on Israel's action in the territories, with a focus on human rights. Another proposal slated to come before the plenary session today would warn Israel that its observer status would be suspended if it violates human rights and blocks international humanitarian efforts.
The Palestinian Authority's representative at the meeting, Ziyad Abu Zayad, condemned Israeli military action in the territories and the representatives of Poland and Spain compared the resistance of Palestinians in the Jenin refugee camp to the Jewish revolt in the besieged Warsaw ghetto 60 years ago.
al haaretz
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