Childers slams EU double standards on question of human rights in Israel

Posted by Bronwen Maher on March 01, 2010 at 03:06 PM

Labour MEP Nessa Childers today accused the European Union of applying “a policy of double-standards” on the question of human rights in its relationship with Israel.

She said that the EU’s economic treatment of Israel compared to other countries involved in human rights abuses left Europe wide open to the fully warranted charge of hypocrisy in the conduct of its external relations.

Nessa Childers explained: "Recently, the EU rightly withdrew preferential trade benefits from Sri Lanka due to well documented human rights abuses. Yet the EU consistently refuses to use the same logic with Israel, despite years of well documented, high-profile cases of ongoing human rights abuses.

"EU Member States have withdrawn preferential tariff benefits to Sri Lanka under an arrangement for development and good governance, known as GSP+. This decision follows an investigation by the European Commission, which identified significant shortcomings in respect of Sri Lanka’s implementation of UN human rights conventions relevant for benefits under the scheme.

“The Commission investigation was based on publically available UN and NGO reports. The overarching EU objective is to use GSP+ as an incentive to underpin improvements in the human rights situation in Sri Lanka.

"I welcome this decision. This is how Europe should leverage its considerable economic power to promote human rights around the world. However I condemn the blatant hypocrisy in not applying the same standards to our far more substantial economic relationship with Israel.

"Currently, the EU-Israel Association Agreement forms the legal basis governing relations and trade between Israel and the EU. The EU is Israel’s biggest trading partner. Under the agreement, we have granted Israel significant trade concessions for certain agricultural products, in the form of tariff reduction or elimination, either within quotas or for unlimited quantities.

"However Article 2 of this Agreement states: "Relations between the Parties, as well as all the provisions of the Agreement itself, shall be based on respect for 'human rights and democratic principles', which guides their internal and international policy and constitutes an essential element of this Agreement." Israel is clearly in breach of this Agreement and thus, using the same logic the EU applied to its relationship with Sri Lanka, it must suspend this trade agreement.

"If new High Representative Baroness Ashton has one task, it is to bring together all of Europe's levers of influence to support one coherent political strategy. This must include standing up for human rights, especially on our doorstep in the Middle East. I will be raising this matter in the European Parliament with Baroness Ashton and demanding an end to the pursuit of this policy of hypocrisy which does no service to Europe’s standing."

Permanent link | Comments (0) |