B-R2: Resolution to End the Illegal Occupation of Palestine and Advocate for Peace in the Middle East

The European Green Party (EGP) and its member parties are gravely concerned by
the ongoing developments in the Middle East as an escalation regarding the
situation in Palestine and Israel, that were already discussed in the resolution
“The European Greens Stand for a Lasting End to Violence in Israel and
Palestine” adopted in the EGP Congress of December 2023. Since the adoption of
this position, our concern has increased in the light of the flagrant disregard
of the ultranationalist far-right Israeli Government for the ICJ's ruling that
Israel must halt its military operations in Rafah and Gaza on the grounds that
such actions could lead to conditions conducive to genocide. In addition to
this, the escalation of tension in the region has increased and expanded to
neighbouring countries. We condemn the attacks of the terrorist group Hezbollah
against Israeli civilians in the north of the country, as well as the
interference of the Iranian regime that supports this group and their attack in
central and Southern Israel. The operations implemented by the IDF in Lebanon
that killed civilians, UN staff and medical workers constitute a
disproportionate retaliation and are not aligned with international law. The
Israeli attacks against the UN peacekeepers are also yet another turning point
that should concern all international community and demand swift and clear
action to put an end to the violence and work for a peaceful, lasting and fair
resolution of the ongoing conflicts.

As European Greens we are united in diversity, and without reservation we
consider it essential to take action to stop the crimes that we condemn with
this resolution. In line with different views across Europe, some Member Parties
of the EGP consider that the Palestinian people is being victim of genocide, and
others consider that this statement needs to be ruled by an international court.
This diversity does not prevent us from standing united to condemn all crimes
and to call for a fair, just and lasting solution that includes the respect for
the self-determination of the Palestinian and Jewish peoples and bring about
peace and prosperity in the region.

This resolution is borne out of the recognition that the European Union (EU) and
the governments of EU member states and other European countries bear a
historical responsibility to do everything in their power to stop any genocidal
developments in the world and to help work towards peace.

In light of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, the European Green Party,
through this resolution, adopts the following action-items and calls on the
European Union, European nations, the U.S., international institutions, and the
international community at large to take decisive, immediate actions to address
the ongoing human rights violations and support the cessation of hostilities,
including the following:

1. Immediate Ceasefire and Protection of Civilians

   • Demand an immediate end to the siege on Gaza and a permanent
     ceasefire across the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), Israel,
     Lebanon, and the Golan Heights, and protect civilians from
     indiscriminate violence by any party.

   
   

   • Secure the release of hostages held by Hamas;

   
   

   • Demand an immediate end to the arbitrary detention of all persons,
     most of whom are Palestinian, unlawfully held by Israeli
     authorities;

   
   

   • Ensure humanitarian aid, including food, water, and medical
     supplies, flows continuously to Gaza and other affected areas,
     prioritising civilian safety.

2. Human Rights and Accountability

   • Condemn all violations of international law, specifically violence
     against civilians, aid workers, medical staff, and a record number
     of UN staff, and any acts by Israel, Hamas, and Hezbollah that
     constitute war crimes.

   
   

   • Urge the EU to support independent investigations into and
     prosecutions of these violations by the International Criminal Court
     (ICC) and hold perpetrators accountable, regardless of affiliation.

3. End to Occupation and Settlement Expansion

   • Recognize the unlawful nature of the Israeli occupation and
     settlements, as per the ICJ's July 2024 advisory opinion, and call
     for the dismantling of Israeli settlements and the unlawful
     occupation in the OPT, which requires:

     1. The permanent halt of all Israeli military operations and
        settlements expansion;

     
     

     2. The deconstruction of Israel’s wall in and affecting the OPT;

     
     

     3. The evacuation of existing settlements, which the ICJ found to
        be detrimental to the local Palestinian population and a
        violation of Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

   
   

   • Demand that Israel adhere to international resolutions and restore
     Palestinian lands, ensuring Palestinians’ right to self-
     determination, decolonisation, and sovereignty.

   
   

   • Condemn Israel’s systematic failure to prevent or punish settlers’
     physical, psychological and verbal abuse, gender-based violence,
     sexual harassment, and acts of terrorism against Palestinians in
     violation of its obligations under Article 46 of Hague
     Regulations,Article 27 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, and Articles
     6 and Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political
     Rights.

4. Recognition of Rights and Equality

   • Recognize both Palestinians and Jews have rights to self-
     determination, which requires equal access to justice, civil rights,
     and protection from discrimination for all communities, including
     LGBTQ+ individuals.

   
   

   • Recognise that Palestinians’ right to self-determination requires
     decolonisation and includes their freedom to establish a sovereign
     Palestinian state.

   
   

   • Address the differential treatment under separate legal systems in
     the West Bank, as it contravenes international law and entrenches
     systemic inequality.

5. Ending Israel’s Genocide and Apartheid

   • Endorse the findings of international bodies, including the UN Human
     Rights Council and ICJ, recognizing Israel’s apartheid, in violation
     of Article 3 of the International Convention of All Forms of Racial
     Discrimination, and call on the international community to prevent
     furthering or supporting Israel’s apartheid regime.

   
   

   • Hold states accountable for their international obligations to
     prevent and punish acts of apartheid.

   
   

   • Recognise that Israel's deliberate violence against
     Palestinians—including the systematic targeting of civilians,
     destruction of homes and infrastructure, dispossession of land,
     deprivation of essential resources like food, water, and medical
     care, and destruction of cultural heritage—which aims to bring about
     the physical destruction of the Palestinian population in the OPT
     constitutes a genocide, as defined by Article II of the UN Genocide
     Convention, in violation of Israel’s obligation erga omnes–which it
     owes to the international community as a whole.

   
   

   • Take all measures available to it to ensure accountability for the
     genocide of Palestinians.

   
   

   • Support South Africa's case against Israel at the ICJ and act in
     ways that align with all relevant international opinions and
     rulings.

   
   

   • Hold Israel accountable for failing to comply with the mandatory
     provisional measures ordered by the ICJ, including the immediate
     halt of its military offensive in the OPT.

6. Right of Return and Reparations

   • Ensure the realisation of Palestininans right of return at the
     earliest practicable date,, per ICJ’s July 2024 advisory opinion,
     and pay compensation to those choosing not to return, per UN
     Resolution 194.

   
   

   • Demand reparations for Palestinians who have lost land and property
     as a result of Israel’s occupation and wrongful acts since 1948, per
     UN Resolution 194 and principles of international law and equity.

7. Environmental Protections

   • Recognize the environmental damage caused by Israel’s military
     actions in the OPT, including over-extraction of resources, and
     destruction of Palestinian agricultural lands, which compound the
     humanitarian crisis.

8. International Solidarity and Anti-Discrimination Efforts

   • Denounce all forms of discrimination, including antisemitism and
     Islamophobia, and work actively to prevent hate speech and violence
     globally.

   
   

   • Strengthen political education on the conflict, promote
     intercultural youth exchanges, and increase funding to combat
     antisemitic and Islamophobic actions.

9. Divestment and Sanctions:

   • Impose economic sanctions on individuals, groups, or entities
     responsible for human rights abuses or supporting illegal
     activities, including genocide and settler violence, in the Occupied
     Palestinian Territories.

   
   

   • Divest from businesses complicit in aiding and abetting Israel’s
     illegal occupation, genocide, human rights abuses, or other
     violations of international law.

   
   

   • End all arms exports to Israel, as well as the purchase of Israeli
     weapons.

   
   

   • Suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement should Israel continue
     to violate international law without accountability.

10. International Cooperation and Peaceful Negotiations

    • Call on the international community to support an inclusive peace
      process that addresses root causes and respects the rights of all
      communities in the region.

    
    

    • Recognise that Israel’s recent military incursions, airstrikes, and
      cross-border activities infringe upon Lebanon’s territorial
      integrity, escalate regional tensions, undermine diplomatic efforts,
      and violate UN Security Council Resolution 1701 as well as Article
      2(4) of the UN Charter.

    
    

    • Work to de-escalate regional tensions through diplomatic channels,
      especially those involving Lebanon, Syria, and other neighbouring
      states.