Note in view of the EU-ISRAEL POLITICAL SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING, 28 October 2008
THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF EU-ISRAEL RELATIONS
1.1 A strengthened human rights chapter in the EU-Israel Action Plan
In the context of the current negotiation on the further development of EU-Israel’s relations, a new Action Plan will be drafted to replace the current one, which is due to expire in April 2009.
The current EU-Israel Action Plan makes under its section devoted to shared values only a brief and rather general reference to human rights issues and includes no specific action item, in contrast to Action Plans between the EU and other Mediterranean countries[1] The human rights language used is very vague and generally worded. Indeed, although respect for human rights and international humanitarian law have found their way into the text of the EU-Israel Action Plan, this is only through insubstantial formulations such as to “work together”, “promote” or “explore”. The weakness and the general character of the Action Plan make the monitoring of Israel’s achievements by the EU and the human rights organizations very difficult, in spite of EU’s declared intentions.
In analyzing the EU progress report on the implementation of the European Neighborhood Policy by Israel, dated April 2008, it appears that the EU recognizes that there has been little concrete progress on human rights issues raised in the Action Plan, other than some development regarding gender equality and the rights of persons with disabilities[2]. In the section on “Political dialogue and reform” of the overall progress report of the EU on the implementation of the European Neighborhood Policy in 2007, Israel is not mentioned at all[3].
[1] For example, the EU-Morocco Action Plan devotes more than two pages to democracy, rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms and includes concrete objectives to be achieved in the short term and in the medium term.
[2] Concerning the continuing discrimination against the Arab minority in Israel the EU states that “The promotion and protection of the Israeli Arab minority did not advance significantly during the reporting period, particularly in areas like land allocation, housing, planning, economic development, investment in social infrastructure and justice” (p. 3). Nothing is mentioned in the EU progress report regarding any progress made on the first objective to “work together to promote the shared values of democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights and international humanitarian law”. Re the situation in the Middle East, the progress report states: “Issues raised in the framework of the political dialogue included inter alia: the peace process, the situation in the Middle East, the situation of the Arab minority in Israel, restrictions of movement in West Bank and Gaza Strip, the construction of the separation barrier, administrative detentions, the dismantling of outposts, the envisaged expansion of certain Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem, more checkpoints. Little concrete progress has however been achieved on the issues as such”. In Commission Staff Document accompanying the Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament, Implementation of the European Neighbourhood Policy in 2007’ Progress Report Israel, 3 April 2008, p.5.
[3] Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament, Implementation of the European Neighbourhood Policy in 2007, 3 April 2008, p3-6.
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