European countries: Israel must reimburse seizures and destruction of humanitarian material
The letter, signed by eight countries, is an unprecedented move in relations with Israel. Israel's coercive measures on schools and against international assistance cause suffering to Palestinians. More than one million euros in European funding lost.
Jerusalem (AsiaNews / Agencies) - If Israel does not return the confiscated material, it will have to pay compensation for lost funds. This is the content of a letter signed by eight European countries, which denounces the seizure and abolition of humanitarian goods. The request is the first of its kind and sets a precedent.
Prompted by Belgium, the letter concerns the events of this summer, in particular the confiscation of photovoltaic panels donated to Abu Nuwar village school for a value of around 30,000 euros, a sum demanded by the countries. The text also refers to the demolition of an elementary school in the village of Jubbet al-Dhib. Recently, the European Union has published a report stating that more than one million euros of European funds have been lost since 2009.
"We still hope that our request for restitution can be met without preconditions as soon as possible, otherwise Israel will have to indemnify it without delay," the signatories write. They also point out that "coercive measures such as the demolition and confiscation of humanitarian assets, including school infrastructure and the obstruction of humanitarian assistance, are contrary to Israel's international commitments and cause suffering for ordinary Palestinians."
The eight countries - Belgium, Italy, France, Spain, Denmark, Ireland, Luxembourg and Sweden - are members of a European humanitarian consortium. According to a LeMonde source, it is "one of the few effective humanitarian instruments in area C", which accounts for 60% of the territories of the West Bank, which is under Israel's exclusive control, close to military zones or colonies.
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01/02/2018 17:12
